title: Cognitive changes in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage before and early posttreatment: differences between surgical and endovascular.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The main purpose of occluding a ruptured aneurysm is preventing rebleeding, which may be fatal. Microsurgical or endovascular treatments are the main approaches adopted to prevent new bleeding. Among patients presenting with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, about 50% had permanent injuries. Cognitive changes are one of the main morbidities from that illness. The type of treatment for the aneurysm (clipping or coil embolization) can also contribute to the genesis of those complications.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Assessing language and verbal memory changes resulting from the aneurysmal lesion occlusion procedures, as well as establish which treatment offers less cognitive sequels.
  
  
  METHODS
  This investigation was carried out in Hospital da Restauraão, Recife-PE, from May 2007 to November 2009. One hundred fifty-one patients were divided into two groups, surgical and endovascular, and had their language, fluency, and verbal memory functions tested at two time points, pre- and postoperation. The results of the initial assessment and of the one occurring after the treatment were compared, between both groups and to each other.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One hundred fifty-one patients were assessed, distributed as 122 surgical and 29 coil embolized. The performances in both groups did not differ in the initial assessment. However, endovascular treatment does not show additional cognitive impairment and had a better performance in language and verbal memory, compared with patients submitted to surgical treatment in an early postoperative period.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital da Restauração, Recife, Brazil. ana.vieira.fono@gmail.com
authors: Ana Cláudia C
authors: AC
authors: Vieira
authors: Hildo R C
authors: HR
authors: Azevedo-Filho
authors: Gustavo
authors: G
authors: Andrade
authors: Izabel Eugênia
authors: IE
authors: Costa e Silva
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: de Fátima Leal Griz
authors: Saul
authors: S
authors: Quinino
authors: Laécio
authors: L
authors: Leitão
authors: Moisés Loyola Ponte
authors: ML
authors: Souza
authors: Divaldo
authors: D
authors: Câmara
mesh_terms: D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D013525:Surgical Instruments