Although clinical guidelines are defined as a systematically constructed document that assists decisions of both practitioner and patient, usual guidelines are a summarized list of evidence-based references by specialists and do not consider the concerns or preferences of the patients or their families. The purpose of this study was to assess 2 decision support tools (a Web-based tool and a DVD) in the decision making process for patients with unruptured cerebral aneurysms. Questionnaires were used to assess the effectiveness and usability of these tools and patients’ satisfaction and conflicts in decision making in treatment selection. Most patients recognized the effectiveness of decision support tools and their knowledge tended to increase with the use of these tools.
Guidelines and decision support tools for the treatment of unruptured cerebral aneurysms should be constructed considering current clinical information of the risk of aneurysms, treatments, and the patient’s point of view.