Ghana Med. J. (Online); 57 (3), 2023
Publication year: 2023
Objective:
To document the location, size, and multiplicity of intracranial aneurysms in Ghanaians who have undergone digital subtraction angiography (DSA) at a single centre in Accra, Ghana.
Design:
We conducted a retrospective observational review of the medical records of all patients diagnosed with
intracranial aneurysms on DSA
Setting: Patients’ medical records at Euracare Advanced Diagnostic and Heart Centre were reviewed between
March 2018 and March 2020.
Participants:
Thirty-one patients were identified with various intracranial aneurysms (IAs) within the study period.
Patients’ ages, sex, and types of IAs were extracted using a checklist and analysed using Microsoft Excel for Windows 2016.
Interventions:
None
Main outcome measures: The prevalence of types and distribution of intracranial aneurysms.
Results:
The age range of the patients was 26-76 years, with a mean age of 45.5±14.3 years. The mean age of men
and women with IA was 45.5 ±15.9 years and 46.7 51.3±12.9 years, respectively. The most common IAs were
located in the posterior communicating artery (PCOM) at 54.8% (95%CI: 36.0, 72.7), followed by the anterior
communicating (ACOM), which constituted 32.3% (95%CI: 16.7, 51.4). The majority, 89.2% (33/37) of these
aneurysms were less than 7mm in diameter. Single aneurysms were present in 25 (80.6%).
Conclusion:
The most common IAs were found in the PCOM and ACOM, and IAs tend to rupture at a younger
age and smaller size among the Ghanaian adults examined. Early detection and treatment of IAs less than 7mm in
diameter is recommended.