First Surgery Completed In OK To Treat Specific Brain Aneurysm

Doctors at Mercy hospital have completed a groundbreaking surgery to treat a specific type of brain aneurysm. This was the first time in Oklahoma the surgery has been performed.

Doctors began the surgery at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday on Mario Guzman of El Reno. During the surgery, surgeons inserted a tiny stent-like device called a Pipeline into the aneurysm. The device is used to treat a fusiform aneurysm that, until now, was untreatable. Patients in Oklahoma have died waiting for FDA approval of the device. But even with the surgery, there are risks. In fact, the doctor who performed the surgery Tuesday said there have been cases where patients have died during the surgery.

"I was totally against it in the beginning," said Alisa Guzman, Mario's wife. "I didn't sign up to raise five kids by myself."

Doctors said the surgery was Mario's only option. Without it, the aneurysm could rupture at any time. Alisa says her husband convinced her that he should go through with the surgery.

"My husband told me 'every time I get a bad headache I wonder is it going to rupture, is something going to happen to me,'" she said.

Surgeons completed the surgery just after 1 p.m. and believe everything went well.