ROCHESTER, MINN. -- An international study led by Mayo Clinic, and including centers across the United States, Canada and Europe, has identified new information that will assist in better caring for patients with unruptured brain aneurysms. Unruptured brain aneurysms affect five percent of people in North America and Europe during their lifetime (10-15 million Americans; 1.5-2 million Canadians; and 30-35 million Europeans). The study, to be published in the Dec. 10, 1998 edition of New England Journal of Medicine, finds that small intracranial aneurysms, especially those located at the front of the brain, have a very low probability of rupture if the patient has no history of ruputured aneurysms.

Possibilities for broadcast and print news media include: a live satellite news conference with David Wiebers, M.D., the study's principal investigator as well as John Marler, M.D., from the National Institutes of Health; b-roll that includes a patient's story and animation; a video news release package; and a camera-ready illustration.

News Conference: Wed., Dec. 9, 1998 -- 10 a.m. CST; Baldwin Building First Floor Lecture Hall; 200 Fourth Ave. S.W.; Rochester, Minn. News media should park in the Baldwin Building Parking Ramp and take the elevators to the first floor lecture hall.

Satellite Media Tour: David Wiebers, M.D., a Mayo Clinic neurologist and the study's principal investigator, will be available for one-on-one interviews via satellite from 1:30-3:30 p.m. CST on Wed., Dec. 9, 1998. For information or to schedule a segment, please call Jessica Maini at 212-688-8484.

Video and Audio Feed of News Conference and B-roll/Animation: The news conference and video news release will be fed via video and audio feed on Wed., Dec. 9, 1998 at 10 a.m. CST.

Technical Information
Wed., Dec. 9, 1998

EST CST
10:30-11:00 (testing) 09:30-10:00 (testing)
11:00 am-12:00 pm 10:00-11:00 am
(News conference, VNR & b-roll) (News conference, VNR & b-roll)
Satellite Transmittal Information

KU-BAND
Satellite: GE 3
Transponder: 18 (V)
Channel: 18
Downlink Frequency: 12,060 MHz
Audio: 6.2 or 6.8 MHz
Longitude: 87° W

C-BAND
Satellite: Galaxy 6
Transponder: 24 (V)
Channel: 24
Downlink Frequency: 4,180 MHz
Audio: 6.2 or 6.8 MHz
Longitude: 99° W

Satellite questions prior to broadcast: 507-284-5964 (Mayo Clinic Video Communications) Satellite technical difficulties: 202-775-4300 (Diversified Communications, Inc.) To call in questions during the news conference, please call: 800-362-8351

AUDIO BROADCAST INFORMATION

For "Listen Only" Access to News Conference, call: 888-476-3762, Participant code: 646532

Audio Broadcast Technical Difficulties: 888-476-3762 (AT&T)

Audio Questions Prior to Broadcast: 507-284-5964 (Mayo Clinic Video Communications)

Information for Journalists: Additional information, including a link to the New England Journal of Medicine article, a camera-ready illustration, a list of participating centers and other information is available at Mayo Clinic's journalists' website at www.mayo.edu/news.

Information for Patients: Information about unruptured brain aneurysms can be found on Mayo Clinic Health Oasis at www.mayohealth.org starting at 4 p.m. CST on Dec. 9, 1998.

To receive Mayo news releases by e-mail, send a message to [email protected]. Include your name, affiliation, and e-mail address. Mayo Clinic news releases are available on the Mayo Home Page, http://www.mayo.edu. Mayo Clinic health information is available on Mayo Clinic Health O@sis at http://www.mayohealth.org.