Spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is often a devastating condition and a significant cause of worldwide morbidity and mortality. Because the percentage of senior citizens is increasing in many countries and because of the increased incidence of SAH in elderly patients, ruptured intracranial aneurysm is an increasingly frequent pathology in western countries. Twenty years ago, older people were considered to have such a poor prognosis that they were frequently excluded from active treatment on the unique basis of their advanced age. Improving results published in recent studies showed that the classic fatalistic attitude associated with age and intracranial aneurysm (IA) should be reconsidered. Therefore, because of improvements in surgical results and neuro-intensive care, the appearance of interventional neuroradiology, and more aggressive rehabilitation programs, the management of ruptured IA in the elderly is changing. This article aims to review epidemiology, emphasize the specific aspects of the disease in the elderly, and present the current management of SAH in an elderly population.

Neurosurgeons should consider this rare etiology of spinal cord compression. They must be aware that this lesion can occur in front of an intraspinal lesion, mimic meningiomas, occur in young people, and can potentially be associated with other locations of disease, including intracranial lesions. Surgery is the treatment of choice.

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