Management of ruptured dissecting intracranial aneurysms in infants: report of four cases and review of the literature

Ruptured Fusiform Anterior Cerebral Artery Aneurysm in an Infant : Case Report and a Literature Review

Ruptured intracranial aneurysms in infants are rare and infantile fusiform anterior cerebral artery (ACA) aneurysms are much rarer. In this report, we described the case of a 7-month-old infant with a ruptured fusiform ACA aneurysm who presented with seizure and underwent endovascular treatment. The patient was initially in a coma and the neurologic condition did not improve after treatment. The clinical characteristics of the case and literature review were discussed.

Ruptured Intracranial Aneurysm in a Neonate: Case Report and Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND

Intracranial aneurysms (IAs) are exceptional in neonates accounting for less than 2% of all IAs occurring during the first decade of life. Little is known about this pathology in this specific population. Because of its scarcity and this specific age at onset, the treatment of IA in neonates is challenging. We describe a rare case of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in a neonate and review the current literature.

CASE DESCRIPTION

A 21-day-old boy was admitted for hypotonia, vomiting, and seizures. Computed tomography scan revealed a subarachnoid hemorrhage in the sylvian fissure, a frontoparietal subdural hematoma, a left middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm with a diameter of 11 mm, and an infarct of the MCA frontal region. He was successfully treated with endovascular coiling, neuroprotection, and antiepileptic drugs. Immediate postoperative magnetic resonance imaging showed a good aneurysm occlusion without any further ischemia. The outcome was favorable with extubation at day 10. At follow-up, the child experienced normal psychomotor development with no motor deficit.

CONCLUSIONS

Ruptured IAs in neonates are rare. Subarachnoid hemorrhage is the most common presentation. Intracranial aneurysms are frequently larger than 10 mm and located on the MCA. The treatment could be surgical or endovascular depending on the characteristics of the aneurysm. There is no recommendation concerning the prevention or treatment of vasospasm in neonates.

Pediatric Intracranial Aneurysms: Favorable Outcomes Despite Rareness and Complexity

OBJECTIVE

Pediatric intracranial aneurysms (IAs) are rare and differ from their adult counterparts in terms of their aneurysmal characteristics, presentation, treatment, and outcomes. Their treatment is often more difficult and complex compared with that of adults. However, studies outlining the clinical effect of pediatric IAs remain sparse.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the data from patients aged ≤18 years admitted to our hospital from 2000 to 2017 with a diagnosis of IAs.

RESULTS

From the sample of 8207 patients with an IA diagnosis, 26 patients with 33 IAs were involved. Our cohort included 17 males and 9 females, with a mean age of 12.5 years. The mean follow-up duration was 4 years and 3 months. Seven patients (26.92%) were assumed to have a traumatic origin for their IAs. Ruptured aneurysms were more common than unruptured ones (61.53% vs. 38.46%). Complex features were observed in 14 aneurysms (42.42%). Initially, microsurgical and endovascular treatment were both performed in 10 patients (38.46%). A good recovery was obtained in 16 patients (61.54%) as determined by the Glasgow outcome scale scores at the 6-month follow-up visits. The complete obliteration of aneurysms was observed in 17 patients (65.38%). Endovascular treatment was the initial treatment in 3 patients with incomplete obliteration.

CONCLUSIONS

The treatment of pediatric IAs is challenging and technically demanding owing to their discrete nature compared with adult IAs and the need for greater surgical skills. We found a male predominance, with internal carotid artery bifurcation as the most frequent location of the aneurysms. Despite the greater incidence of ruptured and complex aneurysm cases, many patients had experienced a good recovery at the 6-month follow-up examinations.

Radiologic Characteristics and High Risk of Seizures in Infants with Ruptured Intracranial Aneurysms: Case Report and Review of the Literature

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the parameters related to the high risk of preoperative seizures in infants (1 year or younger) with ruptured intracranial aneurysms.

METHODS

Infants with ruptured intracranial aneurysms treated at our institution from January 2012 to January 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Seventeen similar cases of infant patients with seizures reported in published studies were reviewed.

RESULTS

The mean age of the 7 infant patients treated at our institution was 4.1 ± 3.3 months (range, 28 days to 11 months), with 2 male and 5 female subjects. One patient (14.3%) had an internal carotid artery aneurysm with subarachnoid hemorrhage, and the remaining 6 patients (85.7%) had middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms in the distal arterial region with lobe hemorrhage. Five of the 7 infants (71.4%) had seizures, 4 of whom (4/5, 80.0%) had MCA distal arterial aneurysms with lobe hemorrhage. Management was successful for all patients with aneurysm clipping or resection surgery, and one patient experienced postoperative seizures. Of the 17 reviewed cases of infant patients with seizures, 10 patients (58.8%) exhibited the typical distal arterial aneurysm with lobe hemorrhaging, and 6 (60%) of them had aneurysms in MCA.

CONCLUSIONS

Infant patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysms have a high risk of preoperative seizures. The typical radiologic finding of distal arterial aneurysm with lobe hemorrhage was frequently observed in the MCA, and it might be related to the high risk of preoperative seizures in this population. Microsurgical techniques effectively control postoperative seizures in infants with ruptured intracranial aneurysms.

Neonatal intracranial aneurysms: case report and review of the literature

Intracranial aneurysms in the neonate, presenting in the first 4 weeks of life, are exceedingly rare. They appear to have characteristics, including presentation and location, that vary from those found in adults. The authors present a case of a 28-day-old neonate with a ruptured distal middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm. Initial noninvasive imaging with transfontanelle ultrasound and CT confirmed intraparenchymal and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Contrast-enhanced MRI revealed a 14-mm ruptured fusiform MCA aneurysm that was not identified on time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). Microsurgical treatment was performed with partial neurological recovery. A comprehensive review of the literature from 1949 to 2017 revealed a total of 40 aneurysms in 37 neonates, including the present case. The most common presenting symptom was seizure. Although subarachnoid hemorrhage was the most common form of hemorrhage, 40% had intraparenchymal hemorrhage. The median aneurysm size was 10 mm (range 2-30 mm) and the most common location was the MCA, with two-thirds of cases involving the distal intracranial vasculature. Over the last 10 years, there has been a trend of increasing noninvasive diagnosis of ruptured cerebral aneurysms in neonates, with CT angiography and contrast-enhanced MRI being the most useful diagnostic modalities. The use of contrast-enhanced MRI may improve sensitivity over time-of-flight MRA. Microsurgical treatment was the most common treatment modality overall, with increased use of endovascular treatment in the last decade. Most patients underwent microsurgical vessel ligation or endovascular parent vessel occlusion. There were high rates of neurological recovery after microsurgical or endovascular treatment, particularly for patients with distal aneurysms.

Successful microsurgical treatment of intracranial aneurysms in infants: a retrospective study and literature review

OBJECTIVE

Intracranial aneurysms are extremely rare in infants, especially less than 1 year old. This study aimed to analyze the frequency of infantile intracranial aneurysm in our department and investigate the clinical characteristics, treatment strategies, and outcomes of this disease.

METHODS

Six infants under 1 year old in 4350 patients with intracranial aneurysms were retrospectively analyzed from January 2010 to December 2016.

RESULTS

The patients (5 females and 1 male) ranged in age from 2 to 11 (mean age, 4.67) months. Four patients presented with generalized seizure and vomiting, 3 showed lethargy, 1 presented eye deviation, and 1 had right-sided hemiparesis. Radiographically, two aneurysms were localized in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) of the M2 segment, two were located in the M3 segment of MCA, one was located at left MCA bifurcation, and one was located at the nonbranching site of the left supraclinoid internal carotid artery. All these lesions were successfully managed with aneurysm clipping or resection, and the improvement of neurological deficits was achieved in all patients.

CONCLUSION

Intracranial aneurysms should be considered in the differential diagnosis of infants who present with acute raised intracranial pressure. An improvement of neurological deficits is noted in infants who are managed promptly with microsurgical techniques of clipping during the long-term follow-up.

Pediatric Intracranial Aneurysms: Considerations and Recommendations for Follow-Up Imaging

BACKGROUND

Pediatric intracranial aneurysms (IAs) are rare. Compared with adult IAs, they are more commonly giant, fusiform, or dissecting. Treatment often proves more complex, and recurrence rate and de novo aneurysmogenesis incidence are higher. A consensus regarding the most appropriate algorithm for following pediatric IAs is lacking.

METHODS

We sought to generate recommendations based on the reported experience in the literature with pediatric IAs through a thorough review of the PubMed database, discussion with experienced neurointerventionalists, and our own experience.

RESULTS

Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was utilized immediately post-operatively for microsurgically-clipped and endovascularly-treated IAs, at 6-12 months postoperatively for endovascularly-treated IAs, and in cases of aneurysmal recurrence or de novo aneurysmogenesis discovered by non-invasive imaging modalities. Computed tomographic angiography was the preferred imaging modality for long-term follow-up of microsurgically clipped IAs. Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) was the preferred modality for following IAs that were untreated, endovascularly-treated, or microsurgically-treated in a manner other than clipping.

CONCLUSIONS

We propose incidental untreated IAs to be followed by magnetic resonance angiography without contrast enhancement. Follow-up modality and interval for treated pediatric IAs is determined by initial aneurysmal complexity, treatment modality, and degree of posttreatment obliteration. Recurrence or de novo aneurysmogenesis requiring treatment should be followed by digital subtraction angiography and appropriate retreatment. Computed tomography angiography is preferred for clipped IAs, whereas contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography is preferred for lesions treated endovascularly with coil embolization and lesions treated microsurgically in a manner other than clipping.

Evolution of Management of Intracranial Aneurysms in Children: A Systematic Review of the Modern Literature

Pediatric intracranial aneurysms are rare. Management of their more common adult counterparts was profoundly influenced by recent high-quality clinical studies. The aim of this review was to aggregate the modern pediatric data published in the wake of these studies and to analyze their impact on management of aneurysms in children. A systematic PubMed search identified 135 publications published between 2000 and 2015, accounting for 573 children and 656 aneurysms. Descriptive statistical analyses revealed differences between children and adults concerning demographics and aneurysm characteristics. A significant proportion of patients were treated endovascularly, suggesting endovascular treatment has been established in the therapeutic armamentarium for pediatric aneurysms. However, these data highlight the unique nature of pediatric aneurysms, and neither this review nor generalization from adult data can replace high-quality clinical research. Multicenter registries and controlled trials are required to establish the natural history and evidence-based treatment of pediatric aneurysms.

Intracranial aneurysms in the youngest patients: characteristics and treatment challenges

BACKGROUND

Characteristics and treatment challenges of aneurysms in young children differ from those in older pediatric patients.

METHODS

Records of children undergoing cerebral or spinal angiography by the senior neurointerventionalist (D.B.O.) from October 2006 to January 2014 were reviewed to identify patients with digital subtraction angiography-confirmed intracranial aneurysms. Demographics, presentation, subtype of aneurysm, treatment strategy, and outcome were evaluated.

RESULTS

Of 763 pediatric cases, 33 were of children harboring cerebral aneurysms. Overall, 48% were male, 24% presented with hemorrhage and 67% harbored fusiform/dissecting aneurysms. Patients aged 0-10 years were significantly more likely to harbor nonsaccular, dissecting/fusiform aneurysms (84 vs. 43%, p = 0.02). A total of 13/22 pediatric patients harboring dissecting/fusiform aneurysms were male (59%) compared to 3/11 with saccular aneurysms (27%, p = 0.14). Overall, 15 patients underwent endovascular treatment (45%) and 8 underwent microsurgical treatment (24%). There was no significant difference in treatment approach based on patient age or aneurysm morphology. Overall, 19/23 aneurysms were occluded after initial treatment (83%); there were 2 procedure-related complications with neurological sequelae (9%).

CONCLUSION

We demonstrate that the youngest patients (10 years and under) have aneurysms even more distinct and less similar to adult aneurysms than those in the larger pediatric cohort.

Radiological changes in infantile dissecting anterior communicating artery aneurysm treated endovascularly. A case report and five-year follow-up

Intracranial aneurysms are extremely rare in infants, and to our knowledge only seven infants treated for ruptured spontaneous dissecting aneurysms have been reported. Good outcomes have been achieved with endovascular treatment of infantile aneurysm. We the endovascular treatment of a one-month-old girl for ruptured dissecting aneurysm located in the anterior communicating artery, and the unique radiological changes that were observed during the perioperative and follow-up periods. These changes suggest that blood coagulation and fibrinolytic response play a part in the repair and healing processes of dissecting aneurysms. Careful neuroradiological surveys are needed for pediatric dissecting aneurysms treated endovascularly.