OBJECTIVETo explore the feasibility, safety and efficacy of endovascular reconstructive treatment by multiple overlapping stents with or without coils.

METHODSTotally 17 patients of vertebrobasilar fusiform aneurysms treated by multiple overlapping stents with or without coils between September 2011 and September 2015 in Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. There were 15 male and 2 female patients with mean age of (47±13) years. Clinical manifestations included subarachnoid hemorrhage in 5 patients, cerebral ischemia or infarction in the posterior circulation in 5 patients, mass effect accompanied with brainstem infarction in 1 patients, headache or dizziness in 4, and incidental findings in 2 patients. Aneurysm located in intracranial vertebral artery in 11 patients, vertebrobasilar junction in 2 patients, and basilar trunk in 4 patients. Mean aneurysmal size was 18.5 mm×8.0 mm(length×width).

RESULTSSole stenting with overlapping stents was performed in 8 patients, and overlapping stents with coils was applied in 9 patients. Post-procedural hemorrhage occurred in a patient with a giant basilar trunk fusiform aneurysm and led to death. The 16 surviving patients were clinically followed up for a mean of 21.1 months. One patient had a modified Rankin score of 4, and the other patients had a good recovery. Among 15 patients with a mean angiographic follow-up of 8.6 months, 9 patients had their aneurysms further thrombosed, 3 patients were stable, and 3 patients with a recurred aneurysm. Final complete occlusion was achieved in 7 patients.

CONCLUSIONReconstructive treatment by overlapping stents with or without coils is feasible and relative safe in vertebrobasilar fusiform aneurysms.

Adult ; Endovascular Procedures ; Female ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Vertebral Artery ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the short-term outcome of single stenting technique for unruptured, wide-necked, tiny aneurysms of the anterior circulation.

METHODSEleven unruptured, wide-necked, tiny aneurysms of the anterior circulation were treated by a single stent deployed in the parent artery between January 2008 and July 2013 in Department of Neurosurgery in Beijing Hospital. The maximum diameter of the aneurysms ranged from 2.0 to 3.0 mm, mean (2.4 ± 0.4) mm, and the dome-to-neck ratios were all ≤ 1.2. The locations were clinoid segment of internal carotid artery (n=2), posterior communicating artery origin (n=4), anterior choroidal artery origin (n=2) and middle cerebral artery bifurcation (n=3). All internal carotid aneurysms were located in the medial and/or ventral wall of the internal carotid artery. The rate of aneurysm obliteration and rupture during follow-up was obtained by repeat angiography and clinic or telephone interview respectively.

RESULTSSole stent placement in the parent artery was intentionally performed for nine aneurysms, while attempt of coiling after stent deployment for the other two aneurysms failed due to unsuccessful microcatherization. Ten stents were successfully deployed, of which one was used to treat two tandem lesions simultaneously. Only one aneurysm became smaller immediately postprocedure. No perioperative complications occurred. Angiographic follow-up after a mean period of (13 ± 6) months (range 8-24 months) revealed that 8 aneurysms did no change in size, 2 became smaller and only one was totally occluded. Asymptomatic in-stent stenosis of the parent artery was found in all 3 shrinking or occluded aneurysms. No aneurysm rupture was observed in the clinical follow-up.

CONCLUSIONFor those unruptured, wide-necked, tiny aneurysms arising at branching sites in the anterior circulation, single stenting technique seems to be a safe alternative treatment, while the short-term rate of aneurysm occlusion is low.

Aneurysm, Ruptured ; Beijing ; Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; surgery ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; pathology ; Cerebral Angiography ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; surgery ; Stents ; Treatment Outcome

The clinical characteristics of patients who presented in poor clinical grade due to ruptured middle cerebral artery aneurysms (MCAAs) associated with large sylvian hematomas (SylH) were analyzed and an ingenious designed prophylactic hinged craniectomy was introduced. Twenty-eight patients were graded into Hunt-Hess grades IV-V and emergency standard micro-neurosurgeries (aneurysm clipping, hematoma evacuation and prophylactic hinged craniectomy) were performed, and their clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. 46.43% of the patients reached encouraged favorable outcomes on discharge. The favorable outcome group and the poor outcome group significantly differed in terms of patients' anisocoria, Hunt-Hess grade before surgery, extent of the midline shift and time to the surgery after bleeding (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in age, sex, volume and location of the hematoma, size of aneurysm between the favorable and poor groups (P>0.05). However, ingenious designed prophylactic hinged craniectomy efficiently reduced the patients' intracranial pressure (ICP) after surgery. It was suggested that preoperative conditions such as Hunt-Hess grading, extent of the midline shift and the occurrence of cerebral hernia affect the prognosis of patients, but time to the surgery after bleeding and prophylactic hinged craniectomy are of significant importance for optimizing the prognosis of MCAA patients presenting with large SylH.
Adult ; Aged ; Cerebral Aqueduct ; pathology ; Craniotomy ; methods ; Female ; Hematoma ; complications ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; complications ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical characteristics, surgical principles and treatment options of blood-blister-like cerebral aneurysms in supra-clinoid segment of internal carotid artery.

METHODSTwelve blood-blister-like aneurysms were retrospectively studied including 4 open-surgery cases and 8 endovascular-treated cases from November 2008 to December 2012. Patients comprised 8 female and 4 male patients, whose mean age was 46.6 (range 38-56) years. Eleven patients presented with severe headache as the primary symptom, and 1 patient was found with aneurysm incidentally. Preoperative Hunt-Hess graded 0 in 1 patient, graded I in 5 patients, graded II in 4 patients, and graded III in 2 patients. By DSA examinations, 4 blood-blister-like aneurysms located in anterior wall and 8 in medial-anterior wall of supra-clinoid segment of internal carotid artery. Open surgical treatment included direct clipping, trapping, or wrapping and interventional treatment included stent-assisted coiling or simple stent placement. Intra-operative electroencephalogram and somatosensory evoked potentials monitoring was regularly used. Microvascular Doppler ultrasonography and indocyanine green videoangiography were used to assess blood flow in parent and branch vessels. The patients were followed up at 6 months by CT angiography (CTA) examination in outpatient clinic.

RESULTSFor 4 open surgeries, 2 aneurysms were directly clipped, 1 was trapped and 1 was wrapped. The patient underwent trapping paralyzed postoperatively. For endovascular treatment, 6 patients were coiled assisted with stents and 2 patients were treated with simple stent placement. All the patients were followed with a mean follow-up time of 16 months (range, 6-61 months). At 6 months follow-up, 3 out of 4 surgical treated patients had good outcome and 1 was moderately severe disabled by modified Rankin scale; 1 patient underwent wrapping recurred and was transferred to endovascular treatment. Of the 6 patients treated with stent-assisted coiling, 4 patients were recurrent and coil replacements were performed. Two patients with simple stent placement had no recurrences.

CONCLUSIONSBlood-blister-like aneurysm is a special type of complex cerebral aneurysm. Comprehensive understanding of blood-blister-like aneurysm is the key to successful treatment.Open surgery is difficult procedure with high risk and complications while stent-assisted coiling has a high recurrent rate. To date, neither is the safe and effective treatment option.

Adult ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo explore the imaging features, diagnosis and treatment strategies of intracranial lageniform aneurysms.

METHODSThe clinical characteristics and therapeutic outcomes of 6 patients with intracranial lageniform aneurysms were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSAll the 6 aneurysms, including 5 anterior communicating artery aneurysms and 1 middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm, were diagnosed by CT, DSA and (or) MRA. Pretreatment CT revealed subarachnoid hemorrhage and intracranial hematoma surrounding the ruptured aneurysm. Three dimensional DSA showed that all the lageniform aneurysms contained two parts, the larger false aneurysm and the smaller true aneurysms. All the 5 Acom aneurysms were coiled and the MCA aneurysm was clipped. Two patients with coiling developed serious brain edema, and acute decompressive craniectomy was performed to 1 of them. Pathological examination of the surgical specimens confirmed that pseudoaneurysm formed the larger part of the lageniform aneurysm. One patient died of brain hernia, and the other 5 patients were discharged with good GOS. All the patients showed stable neurological status during the 3-month follow-up.

CONCLUSIONLageniform aneurysm is a complex aneurysm consisting in larger part of false aneurysm and in smaller part of true aneurysm, and early intervention with individualized surgeries is recommended.

Adult ; Aneurysm, False ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: To describe the therapeutic effect and possibility of the ultra-early surgery for poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (Hunt-Hess grades IV - V). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine cases with intracranial aneurysms, demonstrated by computed tomographic angiography (CTA), were treated by ultra-early surgery under general anesthesia within 24 hours from subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), 5 cases were treated within 6 hours and 4 cases in 6 - 24 hours. Preoperative Hunt-Hess grade: 6 cases were IV and 3 cases were V. The clinical outcome was evaluated by Glasgow Outcome Scores (GOS). RESULTS: In operation, difficult dissection occurred in 5 cases (55.6%), and rupture of aneurysm occurred and temporary obstructions were performed in 4 cases (44.4%). After clipping of aneurysm, 2 cases underwent V-P shunt because of hydrocephalus, pulmonary infection occurred in 3 cases, hypothalamus reaction accompanied with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage in 2 cases. The clinical outcome were favorable (GOS 4 - 5) in 4 cases (44.4%), dissatisfied (GOS 2 - 3) in 3 cases (33.3%), and dead (GOS 1) in 2 cases (22.2%) when patients departed from our hospital. CONCLUSION: The ultra-early surgery can avoid early rebleeding of intracranial aneurysm, therefore, should be considered in the treatment of Hunt-Hess grade IV-V intracranial aneurysms. The appliance of CTA can make it possible to use of ultra-early surgery and improve the therapeutic effect.
Adult ; Aged ; Cerebral Angiography ; Female ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm/pathology/*surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/pathology/*surgery

BACKGROUNDCompared with smaller aneurysms, giant intracranial aneurysms (GICAs) have a poorer prognosis and require more meticulous surgical planning and techniques to exclude them from the circulation. GICAs continue to challenge the limits of neurosurgical techniques. A series of 170 patients with GICAs were reviewed for understanding the clinical characteristics, surgical treatment and outcomes of patients with GICAs.

METHODSCollected data of 170 consecutive patients with GICAs from January 1995 to July 2007 were analyzed. The clinical characteristics in this study included age, sex, intracranial aneurysms size, the first presentations, locations and Hunt & Hess grade. Surgical methods included direct clipping of the aneurysm neck, parent artery reconstruction, proximal artery ligation, trapping and wrapping. Surgical results were evaluated postoperatively by the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS).

RESULTSGICAs were more commonly diagnosed at age 30 to 50 years with a mean age of 39.3 years and without obvious gender preponderance in our study (88 male and 82 female patients). The size of the GICAs ranged from 2.5 cm to 8.0 cm (mean, 2.9 cm). Hemorrhage (41%), mass effect (34%) and headache (12%) were the first 3 most common presentations. Regarding the Hunt & Hess classification, at admission there were 100 cases in grade 0, 24 in grade 1, 21 in grade 2, 16 in grade 3, 8 in grade 4 and 1 in grade 5. There were 84 cases of GICAs treated by direct neck-clipping, 47 by parent artery reconstruction, 19 by proximal artery occlusion (with 4 combined with revascularization), 18 by trapping and 2 by wrapping. The follow-up study (ranging from 6 to 115 months, mean 32 months) showed good results in 108 cases, moderate disability in 26 and severe disability in 15 according to GOS. Six cases died.

CONCLUSIONSSurgical treatment is an effective treatment for GICAs. Surgical strategies should be made carefully and individually. Doppler ultrasonography, neuroendoscope and intraoperative angiography are useful to perfect surgical results.

Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glasgow Outcome Scale ; Humans ; Infant ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; methods ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDOculomotor palsy is a common complication in patients with posterior communicating aneurysm. This study was conducted to investigate the postoperative recovery of patients with posterior communicating aneurysm complicated with oculomotor palsy and to analyze the factors influencing length of recovery.

METHODSFrom 2000 to 2006, 148 patients with posterior communicating aneurysm were treated at our hospital, with 74 of them having concurrent unilateral oculomotor palsy. All of the patients underwent craniotomy after the diagnosis by means of whole-brain digital subtraction angiography (DSA). The patients were divided into two groups for observation of postoperative recovery during the follow-up period. Patients in group A were treated with simple pedicle clipping of the aneurysm while patients in group B were treated with pedicle clipping of the aneurysm and decompression of the oculomotor nerve.

RESULTSOf the 40 patients in group A, 20 underwent surgery within 14 days and completely recovered from oculomotor palsy in 10 - 40 days. Fourteen patients underwent surgery within 14 - 30 days, of whom 12 completely recovered within 30 - 90 days and 2 cases recovered incompletely. The remaining six patients underwent surgery after more than 30 days; of these, four patients recovered completely and two recovered incompletely. Of the 34 cases in group B, 15 underwent surgery within 14 days and completely recovered from oculomotor palsy in 10 - 40 days. Sixteen patients underwent surgery in 14 - 30 days, of whom 14 completely recovered in 30 - 90 days and 2 recovered incompletely. The remaining three patients underwent surgery after more than 30 days, of whom two patients recovered completely and one recovered incompletely.

CONCLUSIONSEarly diagnosis and surgical treatment of patients with unilateral oculomotor palsy induced by posterior communicating aneurysm are important to full postoperative recovery of the oculomotor nerve. No correlation was found, however, between decompression of the oculomotor nerve, such as excision or puncture of the aneurysm, and postoperative recovery time.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; complications ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ophthalmoplegia ; etiology ; pathology ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDDue to their location, large and giant intracavernous and paraclinoid aneurysms remain a challenge for vascular neurosurgeons. We identified characteristics, surgical indications and treatment strategies of large and giant intracavernous and paraclinoid aneurysms in 36 patients.

METHODSThe pterional approach was routinely used. The cervical internal carotid artery was exposed for proximal control of parent vessel and retrograde suction decompression. Paraclinoid aneurysms were directly clipped, intracavernous pseudoaneurysm was repaired and the intracavernous aneurysms were trapped with extracranial-intracranial bypass of saphenous vein graft. Intraoperative electroencephalogram (EEG) and somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) monitoring were used to detect cerebral ischemia during the temporary occlusion of parent arteries. Microvascular Doppler ultrasonography was used to assess blood flow of the parent and branch vessels. Endoscopy was helpful particularly in dealing with internal carotid artery posterior wall aneurysms. Postoperative digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was performed in 33 of the 36 patients.

RESULTSThirty-two paraclinoid aneurysms were directly clipped, 1 intracavernous pseudoaneurysm was repaired and the other 3 intracavernous aneurysms were trapped with revascularization. Except for two patients who died in the early postoperative stage, 34 patients' follow-up was 6 - 65 months (mean 10 months) and a Glasgow Outcome Scale score of 4 to 5 at discharge. At the 6-month follow-up examination, Rankin Outcome Scale scores were 0 to 2 in 32 patients. EEG and SSEP monitoring changed in six patients. Twelve clips were readjusted when insufficient blood flow in parent and branch vessels was detected. Three posterior wall aneurysms were clipped.

CONCLUSIONSIntracavernous aneurysms not amenable to endovascular treatment should be treated surgically and surgical treatment is the first option for paraclinoid aneurysms. The temporary parent vessel occlusion, retrograde suction decompression, endoaneurysmectomy, parent vessel reconstruction, vascular anastomosis, electrophysiological monitoring, Doppler ultrasonography and endoscopy are essential techniques in the treatment of the large and giant intracavernous and paraclinoid aneurysms.

Adult ; Aged ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Cerebral Angiography ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: Pathogenesis and treatment of spontaneous dissecting aneurysm of the intracranial vertebral artery (VA) remain controversial. This study was designed to provide management strategies and to improve management outcome in patients with these aneurysms. MATERIALA AND METHODS: Among a total of 1,990 patients treated for intracranial aneurysms from February 1992 to June 2005, 28 patients (1.4%) were treated either by surgery (8 patients) or neurointervention (20 patients) for spontaneous dissecting aneurysms of the intracranial VA. Twenty-two patients had ruptured aneurysms. We analyzed indications of surgery or neurointervention for each case, and assessed the management outcome at a 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: For selection of therapeutic options, patients were initially evaluated as possible candidates for neurointervention using the following criteria: 1) poor clinical grade; 2) advanced age; 3) medical illness; 4) unruptured aneurysm; 5) equal or larger opposite VA; 6) anticipated surgical difficulty due to a deep location of the VA-posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) junction. Surgery was considered for patients with: 1) high-risk aneurysms (large or irregular shaped); 2) smaller opposite VA; 3) failed neurointervention; or 4) dissection involving the PICA. Management outcomes were favorable in 25 patients (89.3%). Causes of unfavorable outcome in the remaining 3 patients were the initial insult in 2 patients, and medical complications in one patient. CONCLUSION: Ruptured aneurysms must be treated to prevent rebleeding. For unruptured aneurysms, follow-up angiography would be necessary to detect growth of the aneurysm. Treatment modality should be selected according to the clinical characteristics of each patient and close collaboration between neurosurgeons and neurointerventionists is essential.
Adult ; Aged ; Aneurysm, Dissecting/*pathology/surgery/therapy ; Aneurysm, Ruptured/pathology/surgery/therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm/*pathology/surgery/therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Vertebral Artery/*pathology/surgery