Rapid Symptomatic Improvement Following Flow Diverter Placement: A Case Report on an Internal Carotid Artery Blood Blister-Like Aneurysm.

Abstract

Symptomatic unruptured intracranial aneurysms, particularly blood blister-like aneurysms (BBAs) of the internal carotid artery (ICA), can present with severe pain indicating impending rupture and pose significant treatment challenges. We present the case of a 40-year-old man with sudden onset severe headache and deep orbital pain (DOP) caused by an unruptured ICA BBA confirmed via angiography. Given the aneurysm's morphology and the patient's escalating symptoms despite analgesia, emergent endovascular treatment with a flow diverter (FD) was performed. This intervention resulted in immediate and complete resolution of the patient's debilitating pain, followed by successful aneurysm occlusion confirmed at six-month follow-up. This case highlights the potential efficacy of FD placement not only for aneurysm obliteration but also for rapid symptom relief in patients with high-risk, symptomatic unruptured BBAs.