As chief of the Division of Surgery at Audie L. Murphy Memorial Hospital, Dr. Franklin Epstein oversees surgical interventions for a variety of neurological conditions. Dr. Franklin Epstein is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons as well as the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.
A cerebral aneurysm, also commonly known as a brain aneurysm, occurs when the wall of a blood vessel in the brain becomes weak and dilates. This dilation, the aneurysm itself, can rupture abruptly and cause a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), a potentially fatal condition. Although unruptured aneurysms may respond to nonsurgical treatment, a ruptured aneurysm requires surgical treatment.
Surgical clipping, originally developed in 1937, has become the industry standard in aneurysm interventions. Appropriate for both ruptured and unruptured presentations, it requires the surgeon to apply a small metal clip to the base of the aneurysm to separate it from the original blood vessel. Because surgical clipping requires an opening in the skull, many surgeons turn instead to endovascular coiling.
Endovascular coiling requires the surgeon to release a soft wire spiral into the leg's femoral artery and move it into the brain. Once the spiral reaches the aneurysm, the surgeon methodically releases microcoils that alter blood flow within the aneurysm and cause clotting. Although less invasive, this procedure does not redirect blood flow and may pose a risk of recanalization.
A cerebral aneurysm, also commonly known as a brain aneurysm, occurs when the wall of a blood vessel in the brain becomes weak and dilates. This dilation, the aneurysm itself, can rupture abruptly and cause a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), a potentially fatal condition. Although unruptured aneurysms may respond to nonsurgical treatment, a ruptured aneurysm requires surgical treatment.
Surgical clipping, originally developed in 1937, has become the industry standard in aneurysm interventions. Appropriate for both ruptured and unruptured presentations, it requires the surgeon to apply a small metal clip to the base of the aneurysm to separate it from the original blood vessel. Because surgical clipping requires an opening in the skull, many surgeons turn instead to endovascular coiling.
Endovascular coiling requires the surgeon to release a soft wire spiral into the leg's femoral artery and move it into the brain. Once the spiral reaches the aneurysm, the surgeon methodically releases microcoils that alter blood flow within the aneurysm and cause clotting. Although less invasive, this procedure does not redirect blood flow and may pose a risk of recanalization.