Unruptured intracranial aneurysms: An updated review of current concepts for risk factors, detection and management

The management of patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) is a complex clinical challenge and constitutes an immense field of research. While a preponderant proportion of these aneurysms never rupture, the consequences of such an event are severe and represent an important healthcare problem. To date, however, the natural history of UIAs is not completely understood and there is no accurate means to discriminate the UIAs that will rupture from those that will not. Yet, a good understanding of the recent evidence and future perspectives is needed when advising a patient with IA to tailor any information to the given patient's level of risk and psychoaffective status. Thus, this review addresses the current concepts of epidemiology, risk factors, detection and management of UIAs.