Endoscopic endonasal transclival approach for clipping of the ruptured vertebral artery aneurysm

Acta Neurochirurgica (2023) 165:2825–2830

Vertebral artery aneurysms account for less than 5% of all cerebral aneurysms. They have a high risk of rupture and are associated with threatening clinical outcomes compared with anterior circulation aneurysms.

Method The endoscopic endonasal transclival approach (EETA) was used. During the temporary clipping, the neck of the aneurysm was dissected, and a permanent clip was applied. The repair of the skull base defect was carried out with the nasoseptal mucoperiosteal flap on the vascular pedicle.

Conclusion The EETA is a feasible alternative for the clipping of the medially located ruptured vertebral artery aneurysm. EETA can be recommended for centers with a large volume of cerebrovascular and endoscopic neurosurgical procedures.

A Meta-Analysis of Risk Factors for the Formation of de novo Intracranial Aneurysms

Neurosurgery, Volume 85 (4) 2019, 454–465

Understanding the risk factors for the formation of de novo intracranial aneurysms (IAs) is important for patients who have ever suffered a cerebral aneurysm.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the risk factors for the development of a de novo IA to identify which patients need more aggressive surveillance after aneurysm treatment.

METHODS: We followed the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and metaanalyses guidelines and searched the PubMed, CENTRAL, EMBASE, and LILACS databases using the key words cerebral aneurysms, de novo, IAs, risk factors combined using and/or. The search was performed in July 2017.We calculated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using RevMan 5.3 (Cochrane, London, United Kingdom) to evaluate risk factors. Statistical significance was set at P < .05.

RESULTS: The analysis included 14 studies involving 6389 patients, of whom 197 patients had de novo IAs. The main risk factors for formation included sex (OR = 1.82, 95% CI [1.30,2.56], P = .0005, female vs male), age <40 yr (OR = 2.96, 95% CI [1.76,4.96], P < .0001), family history (OR = 2.05, 95% CI [1.07,3.93], P = .03), smoking history (OR = 2.73, 95% CI [1.81,4.12], P < .0001), and multiple saccular intracranial aneurysms (sIAs) at first diagnosis (OR = 2.10, 95% CI [1.12,3.91], P = .02), internal carotid artery (ICA) as the initial site (OR = 2.58, 95% CI [1.43,4.68], P = .002). Heterogeneous analysis showed that these I 2 were less than 50% and the results were reliable.

CONCLUSION: Observational evidence identified multiple clinical and anatomic risk factors for the formation of de novo IAs, including female sex, age <40 yr, family history, smoking history, multiple sIAs at first diagnosis, and IC as the initial site. More aggressive long-term angiographic follow-up with digital subtraction angiography, computed tomography angiography, or magnetic resonance angiography is recommended for these patients.

Comparison of clipping and coiling in elderly patients with unruptured cerebral aneurysms

J Neurosurg 126:811–818, 2017

The comparative effectiveness of the 2 treatment options—surgical clipping and endovascular coiling—for unruptured cerebral aneurysms remains an issue of debate and has not been studied in clinical trials. The authors investigated the association between treatment method for unruptured cerebral aneurysms and outcomes in elderly patients.

METHODS The authors performed a cohort study of 100% of Medicare fee-for-service claims data for elderly patients who had treatment for unruptured cerebral aneurysms between 2007 and 2012. To control for measured confounding, the authors used propensity score conditioning and inverse probability weighting with mixed effects to account for clus- tering at the level of the hospital referral region (HRR). An instrumental variable (regional rates of coiling) analysis was used to control for unmeasured confounding and to create pseudo-randomization on the treatment method.

RESULTS During the study period, 8705 patients underwent treatment for unruptured cerebral aneurysms and met the study inclusion criteria. Of these patients, 2585 (29.7%) had surgical clipping and 6120 (70.3%) had endovascular coiling. Instrumental variable analysis demonstrated no difference between coiling and clipping in 1-year postoperative mortality (OR 1.25, 95% CI 0.68–2.31) or 90-day readmission rate (OR 1.04, 95% CI 0.66–1.62). However, clipping was associ- ated with a greater likelihood of discharge to rehabilitation (OR 6.39, 95% CI 3.85–10.59) and 3.6 days longer length of stay (LOS; 95% CI 2.90–4.71). The same associations were present in propensity score–adjusted and inverse probability–weighted models.

CONCLUSIONS In a cohort of Medicare patients, there was no difference in mortality and the readmission rate between clipping and coiling of unruptured cerebral aneurysms. Clipping was associated with a higher rate of discharge to a rehabilitation facility and a longer LOS.

Minimally invasive microsurgery for anterior circulation aneurysms

MIS for Anterior Circulation Aneurysms

Acta Neurochir (2014) 156:493–503

The aim of our study was to evaluate minimally invasive techniques for the treatment of anterior circulation aneurysms versus standard surgery, and to calculate the impact of these techniques on health resources, length of stay, and treatment costs.

Methods A consecutive series of 24 patients with ruptured and 30 with unruptured anterior circulation aneurysms treated with minimally invasive microsurgery (MIM) by the same surgeon was compared with a matched series of standard microsurgeries (SM) conducted for 23 ruptured and 22 unruptured aneurysms. Complication rates, aneurysm obliteration, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) outcomes, length of stay, and treatment costs were assessed.

Results Surgical complications, aneurysm obliteration rates and mRS outcomes were comparable between MIM and SM groups in ruptured and unruptured aneurysm cohorts. MIM resulted in shorter operative times both in unruptured (102.7±4.35 vs 194.7±10.26 min, p<0.0001) and ruptured aneurysms (124.3±827 vs 209±13.84 min, p<0.0001). Length of stay was reduced in patients with MIM for unruptured aneurysms (1.55±24 vs 4.28±0.71 days, p<0.000,1) but not in those with ruptured aneurysms. MIM reduced treatment costs of unruptured aneurysm patients, mainly through reduced utilization of inpatient resources (non-acute bed costs in CAD: 371.2±80.99 vs 1440±224.1, p<0.0001), whereas costs were comparable in patients with ruptured aneurysms.

Conclusion Minimally invasive surgery is a safe and effective approach for the treatment of ruptured and unruptured aneurysms of the anterior circulation. In patients with unruptured aneurysms, reduced invasiveness and shorter operative times decreased length of stay, which reflects improved patient postoperative recovery. Overall, this translated into bed resource economy and cost reduction.

Thromboembolic Complications After Neuroform Stent-Assisted Treatment of Cerebral Aneurysms: The Duke Cerebrovascular Center Experience in 235 Patients With 274 Stents

Neurosurgery 69:369–375, 2011 DOI: 10.1227/NEU.0b013e31821bc49c

The Neuroform Stent has facilitated the endovascular treatment of wide-necked cerebral aneurysms. It is unknown which factors pose risks of thromboembolic events after stent placement.

OBJECTIVE: This series is the largest single-center study reporting on the incidence of and factors influencing thromboembolic complications after Neuroform stent placement.

METHODS: A total of 235 patients were treated with 274 Neuroform stents. The thromboembolic event rate was determined by imaging or clinical evidence of cerebrovascular accident within 90 days of stent placement; for patients with incomplete follow-up through chart review, telephone interviews were conducted. Analyses were performed to investigate patient factors that may be associated with stroke.

RESULTS: Most aneurysms were unruptured; 30 patients (12.8%) presented with acute subarachnoid hemorrhage. Twelve patients of the 224 with follow-up (5.4%, 95% confidence interval: 2.4%-8.3%) demonstrated imaging or clinical evidence of a new thromboembolic event within 90 days of stent placement. There was a 3.1% thromboembolic rate for unruptured aneurysms and a 20% rate in patients with subarachnoid bleed. Hemorrhage was significantly associated with having a thromboembolic event (P = .002). There was a trend toward an increased thromboembolic event rate for patients with hypertension (P = .07). Larger stent caliber was significantly associated with a decreased thromboembolic event rate (P = .032).

CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the thromboembolic event rate associated with Neuroform stent use is low in unruptured aneurysms. In ruptured aneurysms, the complication rate is high, possibly partly related to restricted use of antiplatelet therapy. Stent size and hypertension may be associated with the risk of stroke, but additional studies are needed to confirm their significance.

KEY WORDS: Cerebral aneurysms, Neuroform stent, Stent-assisted aneurysm coiling, Stent thrombosis, Thromboembolic complications