[Surgical experience of aged patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysms (author's transl)]

Outcome of 77 cases with ruptured intracranial aneurysms above 60 years of age was reported. 44 cases were treated conservatively and 33 cases surgically. 1. Among conservatively treated group, 10 cases died after initial hemorrhage and 14 cases after second hemorrhage. The mortality rate was 55%. 2. Among surgically treated group, 11 cases died and 4 cases had severe neurological deficits following the direct intracranial operation. The mortality and morbidity rate was 33% and 12% respectively. 3. These results indicate that the direct intracranial operation should be the first choice of treatment to the aged patients also. 4. Intracranial complications occured more frequently than the extracranial one during intra and postoperative course. Among them normal pressure hydrocephalus was the comonnest. 5. Occlusion of the main cerebral artery occured in 5 cases related to operative procedure. Outcome of 4 cases of them was poor. Microsurgical technique should be used in order to prevent these conditions which tend to occur in aged patients.