Brain Aneurysm Repair: Before Your Procedure

Be sure you have someone to take you home. Anesthesia and pain medicine will make it unsafe for you to drive or get home on your own.

Understand exactly what procedure is planned, along with the risks, benefits, and other options.

Tell your doctor ALL the medicines, vitamins, supplements, and herbal remedies you take. Some may increase the risk of problems during your procedure. Your doctor will tell you if you should stop taking any of them before the procedure and how soon to do it.

If you take a medicine that prevents blood clots, your doctor may tell you to stop taking it before your procedure. Or your doctor may tell you to keep taking it. (These medicines include aspirin and other blood thinners.) Make sure that you understand exactly what your doctor wants you to do.

Make sure your doctor and the hospital have a copy of your advance directive. If you don't have one, you may want to prepare one. It lets others know your health care wishes. It's a good thing to have before any type of surgery or procedure.

Follow the instructions exactly about when to stop eating and drinking. If you don't, your procedure may be canceled. If your doctor told you to take your medicines on the day of the procedure, take them with only a sip of water.

Take a bath or shower before you come in for your procedure. Do not apply lotions, perfumes, deodorants, or nail polish.

Do not shave the incision site yourself.

Take off all jewelry and piercings. And take out contact lenses, if you wear them.

Bring a picture ID.

You will be kept comfortable and safe by your anesthesia provider. The anesthesia may make you sleep. Or it may just numb the area being worked on.

The procedure usually takes about 2 hours.

After the procedure, pressure may be applied to the area where the catheter was put in your blood vessel. This will help prevent bleeding. A small device may also be used to close the blood vessel. The area may be covered with a bandage or a compression device.

Nurses will check your heart rate and blood pressure. The nurse will also check the catheter site for bleeding.

If the catheter was put in your groin, you will need to lie still and keep your leg straight for up to a few hours. The nurse may put a weighted bag on your leg to keep it still.

If the catheter was put in your wrist, you may be able to sit up. But you will need to keep your arm still for at least one hour.

You may have a bruise or a small lump where the catheter was put in your blood vessel. This is normal and will go away.

You have questions or concerns.

You don't understand how to prepare for your procedure.

You become ill before the procedure (such as fever, flu, or a cold).

You need to reschedule or have changed your mind about having the procedure.