Brain aneurysm patients seen in Harare, Zimbabwe: cases review and review of literature 2012-2014

Objectives: The study aimed to look at the demographic information, size and location of intracranial aneurysms, treatment rendered and the outcomes in Zimbabwe.Design: Retrospective study.Setting: Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and Avenues Clinic, Harare, Zimbabwe.Subjects: Adult intracranial aneurysm patients.Interventions: Craniotomy and aneurysm clipping.Results: Seventeen patients were seen during the period of study. Twelve were female patients while five were male with a male to female ratio of 1:2. The age ranged from 25-73years, with the average age being 50 and median being 58 years. Fourteen patients were black Africans, two patients were Caucasian while one was Chinese. Ten of the seventeen (58.8%) had hypertension while two had a history of aneurysms in the family. Sixteen presented after rupture of the aneurysm while one was seen at diagnosis with an unruptured posterior communicating artery aneurysm. Most aneurysms were in the anterior communicating artery and the internal carotid artery territories (35% each). Nine of the seventeen patients did undergo craniotomy and clipping of the aneurysm. Three patients had intra-operative rupture of the aneurysm.Conclusion: There is need to improve patient and medical personnel education and so that more patience with this condition are seen and diagnosed in hospitals. This will also help to make surgery for brain aneurysm more acceptable in Zimbabwe