Does a safe size-limit exist for unruptured intracranial aneurysms?

Of 1076 patients with intracranial ruptured aneurysms (RA) included in the Danish Aneurysm Study, 948 had the RA verified by angiography. Of these cases 908 RA had a maximum diameter less than 25 mm. 162 RA were < 5 mm, 474 and 272 were between 5-10 mm and 11-24 mm, respectively. The average diameter of the RA according to the day of angiography after the aneurysm rupture did not differ significantly within the first 10 days. In these circumstances, using this indirect method for estimation of aneurysm rupture according to the size, we also recommend that unruptured aneurysms with a size 10 mm or less should be seriously considered for operation.