Treating Cerebral Aneurysms A cerebral aneurysm is a weak spot
on the wall of an artery in the brain that can balloon out and
burst. Most aneurysms are silent until they begin to bleed -
causing a stroke - or grow to a size that pushes on a nerve or
the surrounding brain. Bleeding from a brain aneurysm is a life-
threatening emergency, requiring complex medical and surgical
skills to increase the chances of recovery. About 10 million
people have a brain aneurysm in the United States each year and
about 15,000 people die from their aneurysms. Neurosurgeons
(physicians who specialize in surgery of the nervous system) at
the Institute are specialists in the surgical treatment of
aneurysms. Visit Frequently Asked Questions about Brain
Aneurysms for more information. The longer an aneurysm goes
without treatment, the more likely it is to rupture. If it
bursts, blood will spread over the brain, causing potentially
life-threatening damage. Nearly 40% of the people who have a
ruptured brain aneurysm die. An aneurysm i