The development of modern intracranial aneurysm surgery

This history of the steps leading to the modern surgical treatment of intracranial aneurysms begins some 200 years ago when it was found that cervical carotid artery ligations (for trauma) could be tolerated. This discovery led, early in the 1800's to the use of carotid ligation for the treatment of carotid-cavernous fistulas and eventually for the treatment of intracranial saccular aneurysms. The era of modern intracranial surgery for aneurysms began after Moniz introduced cerebral angiography in 1927. The first trapping procedure (for a carotid-cavernous fistula) was performed in 1932, and the first successful planned intracranial operation for a saccular aneurysm was reported in 1933. Subsequent developments are chronologically cited, together with mention of methods now obsolete.