Functional Performance of Patients after Neurosurgery and Endovascular Treatment of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms

Abstract

Introduction. The methods of treating cerebral vascular aneurysms: neurosurgical clipping of the aneurysm and endovascular embolization are associated with the risk of complications that are difficult for the patient, including impaired functional capacity. Determining these disorders will allow for planning patient care and better quality of functioning after surgery.

Aim. Assessment and comparison of functional capacity of patients after classic neurosurgical and endovascular treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms.

Material and Methods. The study was conducted in the Clinical Department of Neurosurgery and Neurotraumatology with the participation of 94 patients (70.2% women and 29.8% men) after endovascular embolization of an intracranial aneurysm (75.5%) and traditional neurosurgical aneurysm clipping procedure (24.5%). The method of diagnostic survey, analysis of medical records and observation was used. Standardized tools were used in the form of scales: Functional Capacity Scale (FCS), Repty Functional Index (RFI), modified Rankin Scale (mRS), Numerical Rating Scale (NRS).

Results. In total, after the procedures, 75.5% of patients were self-sufficient according to the FCS scale, 73.4% were self-sufficient according to the RFI scale, and 80.9% were functional according to the mRS scale (for all scales, p<0.001). The average FCS value after the classic procedure was 35.8 points, after the endovascular procedure it was 43.7 points, (p<0.001). The deterioration of physical functioning was significantly dependent on pain (p<0.005), age (p<0.05) and complications (p<0.05).

Conclusions. Patients treated with the endovascular method experienced less pain, had fewer complications and had better physical functioning than patients treated with the neurosurgical method. (JNNN 2024;13(3):112–118)