Clipping seals the aneurysm while preserving the parent artery
Through a craniotomy, the surgeon exposes the aneurysm and places a clip across its neck. Intraoperative methods may verify blood flow through nearby arteries.
Clipping can offer durable exclusion for selected aneurysms, but coiling, flow diversion or observation may be safer depending on location, neck, branches, rupture status, age and health.
A sudden thunderclap headache, collapse or neurologic deficit requires immediate local emergency care, not travel planning.
Who may be considered?
Specialist review may help when the diagnosis, symptoms and previous treatment create a focused question about microsurgical aneurysm clipping.
- A ruptured aneurysm requiring urgent securing.
- An unruptured aneurysm with risk features that justify treatment.
- Wide-neck or branch-incorporating anatomy favorable for clipping.
- Recurrence or incomplete occlusion after previous endovascular treatment.
What the specialist team must confirm
The cerebrovascular team reviews CT, CTA, catheter angiography when needed, rupture status, aneurysm size neck and branches, perforators, multiplicity, neurologic condition, age, smoking and blood pressure, family history and endovascular options.
Key points for this treatment

From vascular anatomy to durable aneurysm exclusion
The team chooses the method with the best balance of immediate safety, completeness and long-term durability.
Rupture recovery extends beyond the clipped aneurysm
After rupture, intensive monitoring addresses vasospasm, hydrocephalus, seizures and systemic complications. Unruptured cases follow a different recovery course.
Later review assesses neurologic and cognitive recovery, residual or additional aneurysms and risk-factor control.

Risks, limits and realistic expectations
Risks include bleeding, stroke, seizures, infection, vessel injury, cognitive or neurologic deficit, incomplete clipping and death. Clipping is durable but requires open surgery and is not best for every aneurysm.
A sudden worst-ever headache, collapse, vomiting, neck stiffness, weakness or speech difficulty requires emergency services immediately.
