Cerebral Aneurysm & AVM Treatment
A brain aneurysm is a bulge in an artery wall that can leak or burst; an AVM is an abnormal tangle of vessels. At Florence Healthcare International in Istanbul, a neurovascular team treats both through minimally invasive endovascular techniques or open microsurgery, with the approach chosen for your specific anatomy and risk.
Medically reviewed by the Florence Healthcare medical team · Last reviewed June 2026
Overview
A cerebral (brain) aneurysm is a balloon-like bulge in the wall of a brain artery that can leak or rupture and cause a dangerous bleed, while an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is an abnormal tangle of vessels linking arteries directly to veins, which may bleed or trigger seizures. Both are treated by two main routes, decided together by neurosurgeons and interventional neuroradiologists. Endovascular therapy is minimally invasive, reaching the brain through a catheter passed from the wrist or groin, and uses coils, flow-diverter stents, or embolization to seal an aneurysm or block an AVM from inside the vessel. Open microsurgery places a tiny clip across the neck of an aneurysm or surgically removes an AVM, and some AVMs are instead treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (gamma knife).
At Florence Healthcare International, a dedicated international coordinator guides you from first contact onward. Before you travel, our team can carry out a remote second-opinion review of your brain imaging — CT, MR, and any angiogram — to confirm the diagnosis and outline the likely options, and you receive a transparent, itemized cost estimate built around your case rather than a generic price. We also make clear whether your situation is a planned procedure that allows time for review and travel, or an emergency such as a ruptured aneurysm that requires immediate care close to home first.
Who is a candidate?
- Adults with an unruptured brain aneurysm where size, shape, location, or growth raises the risk of future rupture
- Patients who have recovered enough after a ruptured aneurysm to be assessed for definitive treatment or further protection
- People with an AVM causing seizures, headaches, neurological symptoms, or bleeding
- Patients whose imaging suggests a lesion suitable for endovascular coiling, flow diversion, or embolization
- Patients whose anatomy favours open microsurgical clipping or AVM removal
- Those seeking a specialist second opinion on whether a known aneurysm should be treated or carefully monitored
What happens
- 1
Assessment & imaging
Your history and existing scans are reviewed remotely where possible, and on arrival the team confirms the diagnosis with detailed imaging such as CT angiography, MR angiography, or catheter angiography to map the exact size, shape, and location of the aneurysm or AVM.
- 2
Choosing the approach
Neurosurgeons and interventional neuroradiologists discuss your case together and recommend endovascular treatment, open microsurgery, radiosurgery for some AVMs, or active monitoring, explaining the balance of benefits and risks for your specific lesion.
- 3
The procedure
Under general anesthesia, the team either threads a catheter to the brain to place coils, a flow-diverter stent, or embolic material, or performs microsurgery to clip the aneurysm or remove the AVM, often with intraoperative imaging to confirm the result.
- 4
Recovery & follow-up
You are monitored closely, frequently in a neuro-intensive or step-down unit at first, then supported through early recovery. Before you return home, the team provides a clear follow-up imaging plan and a written report to share with your local doctors.
Benefits
- Two complementary treatment routes under one neurovascular team, so the method is matched to your anatomy rather than to a single specialty
- Minimally invasive endovascular options that avoid open surgery for many aneurysms and AVMs
- Treatment of unruptured aneurysms aimed at reducing the risk of a future life-threatening bleed
- Care coordinated by neurosurgery and interventional neuroradiology in one JCI-accredited center
- Remote imaging review and a clear plan agreed before you travel to Istanbul
Risks & considerations
- Stroke caused by interrupted blood flow or a clot during or after treatment
- Bleeding into or around the brain, including rupture during treatment of the lesion
- Incomplete sealing of an aneurysm or AVM that may require further procedures over time
- Reaction to contrast dye, or injury to the artery used for catheter access
- With open surgery, risks of general anesthesia, infection, and a longer recovery
- Neurological effects such as weakness, speech or vision changes, or seizures, which may be temporary or lasting
- After treatment, seek emergency care immediately for a sudden severe headache, weakness or numbness on one side, difficulty speaking, vision loss, or a seizure, as these can be signs of a stroke or bleed needing immediate attention
Conditions this treats
Where it is performed
This procedure is delivered by our Neurological Sciences Center.
Learn more before you decide
Provider-reviewed guides on the related conditions, symptoms and tests in our Health Library.
Cerebral Aneurysm & AVM Treatment — frequently asked questions
It depends on the aneurysm's size, shape, and location and on your overall health. Endovascular coiling or flow diversion treats the aneurysm from inside the vessel through a catheter and avoids open surgery, while microsurgical clipping places a clip across the aneurysm's neck and can be the better choice for certain shapes or locations. Our neurosurgeons and interventional neuroradiologists review your imaging together and recommend the option best suited to your case.
Not every unruptured aneurysm is treated immediately. Small, low-risk aneurysms may be safely monitored with periodic imaging, while larger ones or those with a higher risk of rupture are usually treated. The decision weighs the aneurysm's features against the risks of treatment, and we are glad to give a second opinion on whether monitoring or intervention is more appropriate for you.
A ruptured aneurysm is a medical emergency that requires immediate hospital care where you are — it is not something to travel for. An unruptured aneurysm or an AVM found on a scan is usually a planned situation that allows time to review your imaging, discuss options, and organize travel. Our coordinator can help you understand which applies to your case.
Cost and length of stay depend on the type of lesion, the chosen approach, and your individual needs, so we provide a transparent, itemized estimate built specifically for your case rather than a fixed figure. Planned endovascular procedures often involve a short hospital stay, while open surgery or treatment after a bleed requires longer. Your coordinator will confirm the expected timeline once your case has been reviewed.
Yes. We encourage a remote second-opinion review before any travel. You can securely share your CT, MR, and angiogram images, and our neurovascular team will confirm the diagnosis, outline the likely treatment options, and explain what a visit to Istanbul would involve before you commit to anything.
Related treatments
Considering cerebral aneurysm & avm treatment?
Share your reports for a medical second opinion and a transparent, itemized cost estimate — usually within 48 hours.