When a blood vessel in the brain balloons and explodes, half the time it results in death. That's why it's so important to treat an aneurysm before it ruptures. But what happens when a patient isn't a candidate for surgery? There's a new lifesaving option for them.

Bernadette Fields suffered from sinus problems for years before the real cause was revealed. "We have this very large egg-shaped aneurysm. They're weaker than the regular vessel wall and it can explode," said Dr. Ali Aziz-Sultan, a neurosurgeon. "I went to one surgeon and he looked at it and said no nothing I can do. And he sent me to another one and he said nothing I can do." Fields said.

In June, Dr. Aziz-Sultan became one of the first neurosurgeons in the U.S. to use a new mesh stent called pipeline to block off blood supply to the aneurysm. "And we're able to treat aneurysms we've never been able to treat in a short amount of time in a very safe manner," Dr. Aziz-Sultan said.

The small tube is inserted through the groin, which helps position the stent across the neck of the aneurysm. "And what the stent does is prevents blood from going inside the aneurysm and the aneurysm starts to clot off and shrink," said Dr. Aziz-Sultan.

It's a process that can take days or months. Fields' case was so complicated, the doctor had to use three stents.

It's not risk-free. One percent of patients including Fields suffer a stroke after the procedure. "It was in my hand in my leg, not my speech and I lost a little memory," Fields said.

But she says it was a risk worth taking. She returned to work after a month and is now 99 percent recovered.

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Information courtesy of NBC News