血管内栓塞结合显微手术治疗颅内动脉瘤临床研究

目的应用显微手术夹闭、血管内栓塞和栓塞后手术夹闭3种治疗方法，探讨治疗颅内破裂动脉瘤的安全有效方案。方法显微手术瘤颈夹闭30个动脉瘤，栓塞34个动脉瘤，栓塞后夹闭15个动脉瘤。结果夹闭组30个完全夹闭，无复发，死亡率6％（2／30）。栓塞组完全闭塞率70．6％（24／34），复发率17．6％（6／34），死亡率11．8％（4／34）。栓塞后手术组15个完全夹闭，无复发，死亡率6．7％（1／15）。治疗结束用GOS评价，1个月后3组良好率分别为80．0％、79．4％和80．0％；半年后良好率分别为90．0％、88．2％和86．7％。结论显微手术瘤颈夹闭术仍然是治疗破裂动脉瘤的有效方法，具有1次治疗彻底和复发率低的优势，并可作为栓塞失败的补救手段。     

颅内动脉瘤破裂早期血管内栓塞与手术治疗的探讨

目的　探讨颅内动脉瘤破裂早期血管内栓塞与显微手术的效果。方法　 160例颅内动脉瘤破裂在 3d内早期经血管内栓塞和显微手术得到治疗 ,其中 114例经血管内栓塞 ,46例显微手术。结果　 114例血管内治疗 ,78例完全闭塞 ,2 1例闭塞 95 % ,10例闭塞 90 % ,5例闭塞 85 %。出院时优 83例 ,良 19例 ,差 1例 ,死亡 11例。显微手术 46例 ,术后 2周行DSA检查证实动脉瘤全部夹闭。出院时 ,优 2 4例 ,良 10例 ,差 4例 ,植物生存 2例 ,死亡 6例。结论　颅内动脉瘤早期治疗 ,是杜绝再次出血的危险 ,有利于脑血管痉挛的防治 ,降低致残率和死亡率。     

双微导管技术在颅内动脉瘤栓塞中的应用研究

目的研究双微导管技术的可行性及临床疗效。方法10例颈／体比小于1／2的颅内动脉瘤病例，H—H分级3级以下7例，4级以上3例。采用双微导管技术行血管内栓塞治疗。结果10枚动脉瘤采用双微导管技术均获得成功，动脉瘤内微弹簧圈填塞率26％～42％，复查造影见动脉瘤完全闭塞6例，闭塞90％以上3例，1例见瘤颈有残留。双微导管技术具有操作简便、并发症少、手术适应证广的优势。结论双微导管技术可以成功地栓塞颈／体比小于1／2宽颈动脉瘤。     

Neuroform Atlas支架在颅内动脉分叉处宽颈动脉瘤栓塞中的应用体会

目的 探讨Neuroform Atlas支架在颅内动脉分叉处宽颈动脉瘤栓塞中的价值。方法 回顾性分析2021年1～9月16例采用Neuroform Atlas支架辅助弹簧圈栓塞治疗颅内动脉分叉处宽颈动脉瘤的临床和影像学资料。动脉瘤位于大脑中动脉分叉处8例，大脑前动脉分叉处4例，大脑前、中动脉分叉处2例，大脑前动脉A2远端分叉处1例，大脑后动脉P2分叉处1例。破裂动脉瘤10例(术前Hunt-Hess分级Ⅰ级6例，Ⅱ级2例，Ⅲ级2例),未破裂动脉瘤6例。结果 均在单一Neuroform Atlas支架辅助下完成栓塞，技术成功率100%。术后即刻造影显示动脉瘤完全闭塞13例，瘤颈残留2例，瘤体残留1例。术中及围手术期未观察到介入操作相关并发症。出院前改良Rankin量表(mRS)0～1分11例，2分3例，3分2例。16例随访时间3～14个月，(7.8±3.2)月。mRS评分0～1分14例，2分1例，3分1例。9例术后3～6个月行DSA,动脉瘤完全闭塞8例，瘤颈残留1例，9例均未见载瘤动脉狭窄或支架内闭塞。结论 Neuroform Atlas支架辅助弹簧圈栓塞治疗颅内动脉分叉处宽颈动脉瘤安全，...     

破裂颅内动脉瘤急性期的优化治疗

显微手术夹闭与血管内栓塞是颅内动脉瘤治疗的常用方法~([1]).但对治疗方案的选择、治疗时机的把握与疗效评价仍有较大争议~([2-3]).我们总结了经显微手术夹闭和血管内介入栓塞治疗的160例破裂颅内动脉瘤,取得了满意疗效.     

电解可脱性弹簧圈栓塞治疗大脑后交通动脉瘤

目的 讨论以电解可脱性弹簧圈血管内栓塞治疗后交通动脉瘤的疗效及技术要点。方法对42例后交通动脉瘤患者用电解可脱性弹簧圈进行动脉瘤囊内栓塞，术后早期处理出血。结果42个动脉瘤中38个瘤腔完全闭塞，3个95％闭塞，1个被90％闭塞。术后41例临床痊愈，1例死亡，死亡率2．4％。术中并发脑血管痉挛1例；术后弹簧圈末端逸出1例。1例复发者经二次补充GDc栓塞而治愈。全组出现与栓塞技术相关的并发症2例。术后随访3～50个月均无再出血。结论对后交通动脉瘤采用电解可脱性弹簧圈进行血管内囊内栓塞疗效可靠；早期栓塞及有效的术后处理是提高治愈率的重要方法。     

颅内动脉瘤手术和血管内治疗的适应证和疗效分析

目的：探讨颅内动脉瘤手术治疗和血管内治疗各自的适应证，优缺点和治疗效果。方法：回顾性分析我科自1994年6月至2001年7月收治颅内动脉瘤278例，其中手术治疗173例，血管内治疗105例。手术治疗组包括前交通动脉瘤（AcoAA)65例，后交通动脉瘤（PcoAA)60例，大脑中动脉瘤（MCAA）20例，颈内动脉瘤（ICAA）20例，胼周动脉瘤（ACAA）2例，后组循环动脉瘤8例。血管内治疗采用机械可控式弹簧圈（MDS）或电解可控式弹簧圈（GDC）栓塞疗法，栓塞的动脉瘤包括AcoAA22例，PcoAA42例，MCAA13例，ICAA9例，后组循环动脉瘤4例。采用球囊闭塞颈内动脉治疗颈内动脉海绵窦段巨大动脉瘤25例。结果：手术治疗组出院时治疗结果为优者157例（90．8％），中度残疾5例（2．9％），重度残疾4例（2．3％），死亡9例（5．2％），其中I，Ⅱ级病人无死亡。血管内治疗组出院时治疗结果为优者96例（91．4％），中度残疾1例（1．0％），重度残疾4例（3．8％），死亡4例（3．8％）。结论：血管内治疗和显微外科治疗同属微侵袭治疗范畴，各自有其优缺点。对于大部分颅内动脉瘤来讲，二种方法均可选用，并可取得良好效果。     

颅内动脉瘤破裂出血后假性动脉瘤的血管内治疗时机与并发症防治

目的探讨颅内动脉瘤破裂出血后在其破口周围所形成的假性动脉瘤与真性动脉瘤（TAN-FAN）复合体的血管内栓塞时机及并发症防治方法。方法采用电解可脱性弹簧圈对58例TAN—FAN复合体进行血管内栓塞。结果58例TAN—FAN复合体中24例（41．4％）为出血后7天内进行栓塞，20例（34．5％）为出血后7天～2周内进行栓塞，14例（24．1％）为出血后2周～1个月内进行栓塞。58个动脉瘤均被成功栓塞，其中真性动脉瘤腔100％闭塞者46个，95％闭塞者9个，90％闭塞者3个；13例A型与31例B型假性动脉瘤腔均未行弹簧圈填塞，14例C型中11例仅用弹簧圈疏松填塞假性动脉瘤腔，另3例用3D-GDC仅栓塞真性动脉瘤腔部分。术中并发动脉瘤破裂1例；并发脑血管痉挛2例；并发脑梗死3例。1例复发者经二次补充GDC栓塞而治愈。其治疗结果根据Glasgow预后评分：Ⅰ级43例，Ⅱ级11例，Ⅲ级3例，全组死亡1例，死亡率1．7％。术后随访3～60个月均无再出血。结论对动脉瘤破裂后形成的TAN—FAN复合体应早期进行血管内栓塞；只有根据TAN—FAN复合体不同的类型采用不同的栓塞方法进行个体化治疗，并具有丰富的动脉瘤栓塞经验，才能最大限度的降低并发症。     

球囊辅助下ONYX栓塞大型脑动脉瘤

颅内动脉瘤是神经外科常见疾病．其破裂出血的病死率很高．达25％-60％，死亡的主要原因为出血及早期并发症。目前显微神经外科直接手术治疗大型（10～25mm）和巨大型（〉25mm）脑动脉瘤虽可治愈部分患者，但手术难度大．病残率和病死率均较高。以往对此类颅内动脉瘤应用微弹簧圈如电解脱弹簧圈（GDC）等进行血管内治疗，由于瘤腔难以致密填塞、手术后弹簧圈被压缩和瘤内存在血栓等因素，因此疗效较差、复发率高。球囊辅助下ONYX可以致密填塞动脉瘤腔，保留载瘤动脉，重建损伤的动脉血管壁，因此对治疗大型和巨大型脑动脉瘤有较大的优越性。     

颅内动脉瘤弹簧圈栓塞治疗术中动脉瘤再破裂的防治

目的颅内动脉瘤在弹簧圈栓塞过程中发生破裂是最可怕的术中并发症之一，本文探讨处理、预防这一并发症的初步经验。方法2002年4月-2006年12月，共有153例患有颅内动脉瘤的患者在我院接受了可脱卸弹簧圈栓塞治疗，其中141例患者曾有过动脉瘤破裂引起蛛网膜下腔出血史。5例有动脉瘤破裂出血史的患者术中再次发生动脉瘤破裂。术中动脉瘤再破裂时，常规使用鱼精蛋白中和肝素，并设法用弹簧圈尽快填塞动脉瘤腔。微导丝引起动脉瘤破裂时，尽量保持微导丝不动，微导管尽快送到瘤腔中进行填塞治疗。若微导管引起破裂而微导管头端位于瘤壁外蛛网膜下腔时，微导管且勿退入瘤腔内，应将弹簧圈经微导管送入蛛网膜下腔一部分后，再将微导管头撤入瘤腔内，继续弹簧圈填塞。若弹簧圈引起破裂，要将弹簧圈完全或部分送出去，将破裂口堵住后，调整微导管头端位置继续弹簧圈填塞。结果在接受动脉瘤栓塞治疗的153例患者中，141例曾有过动脉瘤破裂引起蛛网膜下腔出血，治疗中5例发生了术中再破裂，占动脉瘤破裂引起蛛网膜下腔出血的3．5％，总发生率为3．3％。1例破裂由导丝引起，1例由微导管引起，1例由弹簧圈过度填塞引起，弹簧圈穿孔1例，其余1例由微导管和弹簧圈共同引起。2例死亡，死亡率占术中破裂的40％，占总例数的1．3％；1例患者出院时遗留有右下肢瘫痪，其余2例患者无残留神经系统并发症。结论动脉瘤栓塞术中动脉瘤的再破裂是一少见、威胁生命但又不可避免的事件。应该立即采取妥善措施以挽救患者生命、改善预后、降低可怕并发症的发生。如处理恰当，多数术中动脉瘤破裂的患者能够存活，无后遗症。     

Combined microsurgical and endovascular management of complex intracranial aneurysms

OBJECTIVE: The disciplines of microneurosurgery and cranial base surgery have reached maturity, and technical advances in the surgical management of aneurysms are limited. Although most aneurysms can be clipped microsurgically or coiled endovascularly, a subset of patients may require a combined approach. A consecutive series of patients with aneurysms in one surgeon's cerebrovascular practice was reviewed retrospectively to analyze strategies for integrating microsurgical and endovascular techniques in the management of complex aneurysms. METHODS: Between 1997 and 2001, 596 aneurysms in 491 patients were treated microsurgically by the senior author (MTL) at the University of California, San Francisco, and 77 of these patients (96 aneurysms) were managed with a multimodality approach comprising a total of eight different combinations: selective revascularization and aneurysm occlusion (n = 23), endovascular and surgical trapping (n = 1), clipping of the aneurysm after attempted or incomplete coiling (n = 22), coiling after attempted or incomplete clipping (n = 5), clipping of recurrent aneurysm after coiling (n = 6), coiling of recurrent aneurysm after clipping (n = 1), clipping and coiling of multiple remote aneurysms (n = 13), and coiling after previous surgery (n = 6). RESULTS: A total of 96 aneurysms were treated with combined therapy, of which 43% were large or giant in size and 34% had fusiform or dolichoectatic morphology. Complete angiographic obliteration was achieved in 91 aneurysms (95%). Overall, 66 patients (86%) had good outcomes (Glasgow Outcome Scale score of 4 or 5; mean follow-up, 9 mo). The treatment mortality rate was 9.1% (seven patients), and permanent treatment-associated neurological morbidity rate was 5.2% (four patients). CONCLUSION: Evolving endovascular technologies need to be integrated into the microsurgical management of aneurysms. Multimodality approaches are best used with complex aneurysms in which conventional therapy with a single modality has failed. Revascularization remains a unique surgical contribution to the overall management of aneurysms with which current endovascular techniques cannot be used. Multimodality management should be considered an elegant addition to the therapeutic armamentarium that, through simplification and increased safety, improves the treatment of complex aneurysms beyond what is achievable by performing clipping or coiling alone.     

Clinical and angiographic outcome of intracranial aneurysms treated with Matrix detachable coils in Chinese patients

BACKGROUND: Aneurysm recurrence is an innate problem in endovascular treatment of aneurysms with coils. A coated coil system named Matrix (Boston Scientific Neurovascular, Fremont, CA), covered with a bioabsorbable polymeric material (polyglycolide/lactide copolymer [PGLA]), was developed to accelerate intraaneurysmal clot organization and fibrosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Matrix detachable coils in patients with intracranial aneurysms and aneurysmal recurrence rate. METHODS: In a regional neurosurgical center in Hong Kong, data of patients undergoing endovascular embolization of intracranial aneurysm was collected. In a 20-month period, 42 patients with 44 aneurysms were treated by endovascular embolization using matrix coils alone or mixed with bare platinum coils. Thirty-four patients presented with ruptured aneurysms, and 8 patients presented with unruptured aneurysms. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients (60%) had 6-month follow-up DSA, and 10 patients (24%) had 18-month follow-up DSA. Seven aneurysm recurrences were identified, amounting to 16% for all aneurysms and 14% for ruptured aneurysms. Four patients were treated by repeated embolization, and 2 patients were treated by microsurgical clipping. Two adverse events due to thromboembolism were noted. One 78-year-old lady with poor-grade subarachnoid hemorrhage treated by partial embolization died from rebleed at day 4. Another patient with partial embolization and spontaneous thrombosis of dorsal wall ICA aneurysm died at 2 months with aneurysm recanalization with rerupture. Twenty-six patients achieved favorable outcome (GOS score 4 or 5) at last follow-up. The aneurysm recurrence rate using bare platinum coils of the same center was 11% and 7% for all aneurysms and ruptured aneurysms, respectively. CONCLUSION: Matrix coil embolization was safe, but there was no reduction in aneurysm recurrence using matrix coils alone or mixed with GDCs, compared with GDCs alone.     

Surgical clipping of a recurrent small saccular aneurysm after repeated coil embolization

A 59-year-old healthy woman presented with sudden onset of severe headache. Computed tomography and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) demonstrated subarachnoid hemorrhage (grade I according to the Hunt and Hess classification) due to a ruptured small right posterior cerebral artery (PCA) aneurysm. The ruptured PCA aneurysm was completely embolized with three Guglielmi detachable coils (GDCs). However, follow-up DSA 3 months after the initial coiling confirmed refilling of the aneurysm. The aneurysm was successfully re-embolized with two GDCs. Follow-up DSA 10 months later revealed regrowth of the aneurysm. Surgical clipping was performed without compromising the parent vessels. Long-term angiographic follow up is necessary even in patients with small saccular aneurysms which are apparently completely embolized by endovascular coil treatment.     

Vertebrobasilar junction aneurysms associated with fenestration: experience of five cases treated with Guglielmi detachable coils

BACKGROUND: Fenestration of vertebrobasilar junction is a rare congenital anomaly and often associated with aneurysm formation. We describe five cases of vertebrobasilar junction aneurysms in four patients associated with fenestration, which were treated with endovascular coil occlusion using Guglielmi detachable coils (GDCs). The importance of preoperative computed tomography (CT) angiography to understand the complex anatomy of fenestration and aneurysm is emphasized. CASE REPORTS: Three patients presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage and one patient presented with headache only. Among 3 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage, 1 patient was referred for endovascular coil occlusion after clipping of ruptured distal ACA aneurysm. A six-French guiding catheter was placed in the left vertebral artery via right femoral artery, except for 1 patient who had two vertebrobasilar junction aneurysms with complex anatomic relationship, accessed bilaterally. Five vertebrobasilar junction aneurysms with fenestration were treated with endovascular coil occlusion using GDCs. Postoperative angiography demonstrated successful occlusion of aneurysmal sac with preservation of basilar artery. CONCLUSIONS: Vertebrobasilar junction aneurysms are frequently associated with fenestrations. In addition to vertebral angiography on both sides, CT angiography may be a valuable tool for better understanding of complex anatomy of aneurysms associated with fenestration. The surgically difficult aneurysms such as vertebrobasilar junction aneurysm with fenestration can be successfully treated with GDCs.     

Treatment of patients with ruptured aneurysm by neurosurgeons that perform both open surgical and endovascular techniques is safe and effective: results of a single centre in Europe

In Europe only few neurosurgeons are trained in both open surgical clipping as well as in endovascular techniques for treatment of intracranial aneurysms. To investigate the safety and efficacy of performing both techniques we, two dual trained neurosurgeons, analyzed our results in repairing ruptured intracranial aneurysms. Prospectively collected data from 356 patients that underwent open surgical or endovascular repair of a ruptured intracranial aneurysm at the Neurosurgical Centre Nijmegen from 2006 to 2012 by two dual trained neurosurgeons were retrospectively analyzed. Complication rates, occlusion rates, and retreatment rates were obtained. Combined procedural persistent neurological morbidity and mortality after endovascular treatment and open surgical clipping were 2.1 % and 1.4 %, respectively. Overall procedure-related clinical complication rate for endovascular treatment was 5.9 % in 285 procedures for 295 aneurysms. Overall procedure-related clinical complication rate for open treatment was 9.9 % in 71 procedures for 72 aneurysms. Follow-up was available for 255 out of 295 coiled aneurysms, 48 aneurysms recurred and 34 needed retreatment. For clipping 54 out of 72 treated aneurysms had follow-up; four aneurysms were incompletely clipped. One aneurysm was retreated. Treatment of ruptured intracranial aneurysms by neurosurgeons that perform both open surgical clipping as well as endovascular techniques is safe and effective. Developing training programs in Europe for hybrid neurosurgeons that can provide comprehensive patient care should be considered.     

Ruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysm. Therapeutic options in 119 consecutive cases

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The respective roles of endovascular and surgical treatment must be clearly defined in the management of ruptured anterior communicating artery (AcoA) aneurysm. The aim of our study was to report our results, using the aneurysm direction as the main morphological argument to choose between microsurgery and endovascular embolization. Morbidity and mortality, causes of unfavorable outcome and morphological results were also assessed. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Our prospective study included 119 patients: 89 treated by microsurgery and 30 undergoing embolization with Guglielmi Detachable Coils (GDC). When the aneurysm had an anterior direction (fundus of the aneurysm in front of the pericallosal arteries), we attempted microsurgery. If the fundus of the aneurysm was behind the pericallosal arteries, we selected the most adapted procedure after discussion with the neurovascular team, taking into account the physiological status, treatment risk and neck size. Preoperative status of the patients was assessed according to the Hunt and Hess (HH) classification. Cerebral CT-scan and angiograms were routinely performed after treatment to determine causes of unfavorable outcome (GOS>1) and the morphological results. RESULT: Overall clinical outcome was excellent (GOS1) for 63.0% of patients, good (GOS2) for 10.1%, fair (GOS3) for 13.4%, poor (GOS4) for 2.5%. The mortality rate was 10.9%. Among the 82 patients in good preoperative grade (HHIII), 8 (21.6%) achieved an excellent outcome. However permanent morbidity or death occurred in 15 patients (78.4%). Permanent disability and death were related to initial subarachnoid hemorrhage and were observed 21.3% of patients in the microsurgical group and 30.0% in the endovascular group [Fisher's Exact Test; p=0.33]. Procedure-related permanent disability and death rates were 9.0% for the microsurgical group and 23.3% for the endovascular group (p=0.06) respectively. In the microsurgical group, the only morphologic characteristic which significantly correlated with the occurrence of vessel occlusion was the fundus direction (p=0.03). The difference between endovascular and microsurgical procedures in the achievement of complete occlusion was considered significant (p=0.04). CONCLUSION: In our experience, the direction of the aneurysm was the main morphological criterion in choosing between microsurgery or endovascular procedure for the treatment of AcoA aneurysm. We propose that microsurgical clipping should be preferred for AcoA aneurysms with anterior direction, and depending on morphological criteria, endovascular packing for those with posterior direction.     

Regrowth of Residual Ruptured Aneurysms Treated by Guglielmi's Detachable Coils Which Demanded Further Treatment by Surgical Clipping: Report of 7 Cases and Review of the Literature

Summary. Summary.   Object: The management of intracranial aneurysms has truly evolved after the introduction of endovascular treatment by Guglielmi Detachable Coils (GDC). In our department, for every case (ruptured or unruptured aneurysm) we discuss in the first place endovascular treatment. When coiling is feasible, it is done as a first choice. If not (intracranial compressive haematoma, coiling unfeasible or dangerous), the patient is operated upon. Failure of the endovascular technique, like incomplete treatment and regrowth of the residual sac, becomes a subject of discussion. Some cases need complementary treatment for large or unstable residual aneurysm.   Methods: Thus, between 1997 and 2000, 59 ruptured aneurysms were treated using an endovascular method by means of GDC. In 15 of this cases complementary treatment was needed, due to the size or instability of the residual aneurysm. In 8 cases a new embolization was possible and in 7 cases a complementary surgical procedure was needed, due to the impossibility of further endovascular treatment.   Results: Out of these 7 cases who were operated upon after coiling, clipping of the residual neck was possible in 4 cases; in 3 cases clipping was impossible due to the partial filling of the aneurysm neck by the coils. In these 3 cases, a ligation of the residual neck, associated with coagulation of the sac was performed.   Discussion: The difficulty of the treatment of an residual aneurysm after coiling is discussed as well as those surgical techniques alternative to clipping (wrapping or coagulation of the residual sac).     

Treatment of ruptured intracranial aneurysms: our approach.

OBJECTIVE: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) often results in devastating neurological deficits requiring hospitalization and loss of independence. This is often a difficult time for patients and their families who are struggling to cope with this sudden illness. Current treatment options include surgical clipping of the aneurysm or endovascular obliteration using Guglielmi detachable coils. Our purpose in writing this paper was to review the factors that determine the choice of treatment. In addition to this we wanted to study the benefits of surgical clipping for ruptured aneurysms over endovascular coiling. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied--retrospectively--450 cases of ruptured cerebral aneurysms admitted to our institution from 1997 to 2003. Out of these, 324 were subjected to surgical clipping and 126 to endovascular techniques. The outcome was studied using the Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS). RESULTS: Of the 324 cases of surgical clipping 222 had a good recovery, 38 had moderate disability, 15 had severe disability, 13 became vegetative and 36 patients died. In the endovascular group 34 had a good recovery, 22 had moderate disability, 18 had severe disability, 15 became vegetative and 37 patients died. Grade to Outcome was compared for both forms of treatment. In our series clipping for ruptured aneurysm was preferred to coiling in fusiform-shaped aneurysms, large or giant aneurysms, MCA aneurysms, blister aneurysms, complex configurations, partially thrombosed aneurysms and aneurysms associated with cerebral hemorrhage. Coiling was performed for basilar tip and trunk aneurysms, high anterior communicating artery aneurysms, patients in subacute stages of subarachnoid hemorrhage, and those with associated medical complications. CONCLUSION: Based on this study we were able to formulate a few definite indications for clipping, even in the times of advanced endovascular techniques. In addition we could also prove the benefits of surgical clipping over the endovascular technique in severe subarachnoid hemorrhage.     

Endovascular treatment of basilar tip aneurysms using Guglielmi detachable coils: anatomic and clinical outcomes in 73 patients from a single institution

OBJECTIVE: Seventy-three consecutive patients with 75 basilar tip aneurysms were treated with Guglielmi detachable coil (GDC) technology. Their anatomic and clinical outcomes are discussed. METHODS: Seventy-five basilar tip aneurysms were treated with the GDC system at the University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center from 1990 to 1999. The average age of the population was 48.3 years (range, 28-82 yr). Forty-two patients (57.5%) presented with acute subarachnoid hemorrhage, 8 patients (10.9%) had unruptured aneurysms with mass effect, and 23 patients (31.5%) had incidental aneurysms. Thirty-one aneurysms (41.3%) were small with a small neck, 18 (24%) were small with a wide neck, 16 (21.3%) were large, and 10 (13.3%) were giant aneurysms. RESULTS: Immediate anatomic outcomes demonstrated complete or near-complete occlusion in 64 aneurysms (85.3%) and incomplete occlusion in 7 aneurysms (9.3%). Four aneurysms (5.3%) could not be embolized because of anatomic difficulties. Of the 69 patients treated with GDCs, 63 patients (91.3%) remained neurologically intact or unchanged from their initial clinical status. Procedure-related morbidity and mortality were 4.1% and 1.4%, respectively. Long-term follow-up angiograms were obtained in 41 patients with 42 aneurysms. Thirty aneurysms (71.4%) demonstrated complete or near-complete occlusion. One incompletely embolized giant aneurysm ruptured during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: In contrast to surgical clipping of basilar tip aneurysms, the main technical challenge of the Guglielmi detachable coiling procedure depends on the shape of the aneurysm, not its location. The results of this study indicate that endovascular GDC technology is an appropriate therapeutic alternative in ruptured or unruptured basilar tip aneurysms regardless of patient age, clinical presentation, clinical status, or timing of treatment.     

Endovascular coil placement compared with surgical clipping for the treatment of unruptured middle cerebral artery aneurysms: a consecutive series.

OBJECT: The goal of this study was to delineate the angioanatomical features that determine whether a patient with an unruptured middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm is treated using endovascular coil placement or surgical clipping. METHODS: Thirty consecutive patients harboring 34 unruptured MCA aneurysms were evaluated. Patients with unruptured aneurysms are managed prospectively according to the following protocol: the primary treatment recommendation is endovascular packing with Guglielmi detachable coils (GDCs). Surgical clipping is recommended after failed attempts at coil placement or in the presence of angioanatomical features that contraindicate that type of endovascular therapy. Of 34 unruptured MCA aneurysms, two (6%) were successfully embolized and 32 (94%) were clipped. Of these 32 surgically treated aneurysms, in 11 (34%) an attempt at GDC embolization had failed, whereas in 21 (66%) primary clipping was performed because of unfavorable angioanatomy. Of the 13 aneurysms treated endovascularly, two (15%) were successfully excluded, whereas GDC treatment failed in 11 (85%). An unfavorable dome/neck ratio (< 2) and an arterial branch originating at the aneurysm base were the reasons for embolization failure. CONCLUSIONS: Careful evaluation of the angioanatomy of unruptured aneurysms allows selection of the most appropriate treatment. However, for unruptured MCA aneurysms, surgical clipping appears to be the most efficient treatment option. Series of unruptured aneurysms are ideal for comparing treatment results.