Sixteen years ago, Miami grandmother Teresa Delgado was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm. Over the years, it grew to more than eight times the size of the average aneurysm and nearly the size of a golf ball, greatly reducing her quality of life. Teresa Delgado, 78, suffered from debilitating headaches centered around her left eye. At times, the pain was so severe and her vision was so blurry that she was unable to drive, care for herself and family, or spend time with her grandchildren.
An estimated six million people in the United States have an unruptured brain aneurysm. That is equivalent to 1 in 50 people. A brain aneurysm ruptures every 18 minutes and about 40% are fatal. About 66% of survivors suffer some permanent neurological deficit. Teresa Delgado is happy to be alive to tell her story, rather than letting statistics do it for her.
Over the years Teresa Delgado’s symptoms grew worse. In 2015, she was referred to Italo Linfante, M.D., Medical Director of Interventional Neuroradiology at Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute and Baptist Health Neuroscience Center.
The referral could not have come at a better time: Teresa Delgado was in grave danger and didn’t even know it.
“Dr. Linfante told me that a blood clot had developed in the area of the aneurysm, which could cause very serious complications,” said Teresa Delgado.
Additionally, by the time Teresa Delgado was seen by Dr. Linfante, her brain aneurysm had partially thrombosed. As a result, she could have developed a stroke and lost vision in her left eye.
Dr. Linfante specializes in procedures using an innovative technology called the Pipeline Flex embolization device for treatment of large or giant wide-necked unruptured brain aneurysms. The device is designed to divert blood flow away from a large or giant wide-necked, unruptured brain aneurysm. The device features a braided cylindrical mesh tube that is implanted across the neck or base of the aneurysm. It cuts off blood flow to the aneurysm, reconstructing the diseased section of the parent vessel.
Due to this breakthrough in medical advancements, Teresa Delgado’s brain aneurysm is now gone. She is now enjoying and doing the simple day-to-day things she did before her headaches, especially spending time with her family. She wants to share her story with others to raise awareness of the warning signs for brain aneurysms.
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