ANALYSIS OF FOLLOW-UP RESULTS OF 1000 INTRACRANIAL SACCULAR ANEURYSMS WITH DEFINITIVE SURGICAL TREATMENT

A follow-up review of 1000 cases of intracranial definitive surgery for saccular aneurysms is reported. The prognosis for such surgical cases is discussed. Postoperative results at least 6 mo. after discharge from the hospital were analyzed in 876 (93.3%) of the 939 surviving patients. The longest follow-up period was 14 yr and 5 mo., with an average of 3 yr and 7 mo. At the time of discharge, there were 543 excellent results, 186 good, 117 fair, 93 poor and 61 deaths. Most of the patients determined as excellent or good at discharge were able to return to normal life, most of the deaths or instances of worsened condition found in the follow-up study were due to new lesions. Fully 62% of the cases determined as fair at discharge were found in an improved state at the follow-up study, having returned to normal life. Only 19% of cases determined as poor at discharge had improved to the point where a return to normal life was possible, the majority having died or remained in poor condition.