Preoperative Three-Dimensional Angiography May Reduce Ischemic Complications During Clipping of Ruptured Intracranial Aneurysms

Endovascular treatment of aneurysm remnants with the Contour Neurovascular System after previous treatment

OBJECTIVE

The Contour Neurovascular System (CNS) is a novel intrasaccular flow disrupting device with a semi-3D cup-like shape for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. This study investigates the potential and limitations of the CNS for embolization of aneurysm remnants after previous treatment.

METHODS

Ten cases of aneurysm recurrence treatment with the CNS were analyzed from a single-center database. Technical success, procedural aspects, complications, and angiographic results were evaluated.

RESULTS

The aneurysms (median width: 5.3 mm, median neck width: 3.8 mm) were located in the anterior communicating artery (4), basilar tip (3), internal carotid artery (1), middle cerebral artery (1), and superior cerebellar artery (1). The aneurysms were initially treated endovascularly (9) and by clipping (1). Retreatment failed in one case where the smallest available CNS proved to be too small and had to be removed. Adjunctive coiling was performed in two large remnants of partially thrombosed basilar tip aneurysms. There were no procedural complications or morbidity. At a median follow-up of nine months, 4/8 (50%) aneurysms were completely occluded, 2/8 (25%) had neck remnants, and 2/8 (25%) had aneurysm remnants. The two aneurysm remnants were retreated with coiling and stent-assisted coiling, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

CNS treatment of aneurysm remnants may be feasible, especially for shallow, wide-necked aneurysm geometries. Further studies are needed to identify aneurysm subsets that benefit from CNS retreatment and to define mid- and long-term occlusion rates.

The mechanism and therapy of aortic aneurysms

Aortic aneurysm is a chronic aortic disease affected by many factors. Although it is generally asymptomatic, it poses a significant threat to human life due to a high risk of rupture. Because of its strong concealment, it is difficult to diagnose the disease in the early stage. At present, there are no effective drugs for the treatment of aneurysms. Surgical intervention and endovascular treatment are the only therapies. Although current studies have discovered that inflammatory responses as well as the production and activation of various proteases promote aortic aneurysm, the specific mechanisms remain unclear. Researchers are further exploring the pathogenesis of aneurysms to find new targets for diagnosis and treatment. To better understand aortic aneurysm, this review elaborates on the discovery history of aortic aneurysm, main classification and clinical manifestations, related molecular mechanisms, clinical cohort studies and animal models, with the ultimate goal of providing insights into the treatment of this devastating disease. The underlying problem with aneurysm disease is weakening of the aortic wall, leading to progressive dilation. If not treated in time, the aortic aneurysm eventually ruptures. An aortic aneurysm is a local enlargement of an artery caused by a weakening of the aortic wall. The disease is usually asymptomatic but leads to high mortality due to the risk of artery rupture.

Intraoperative indocyanine green video angiography (ICG-VA) with FLOW 800 software in complex intracranial aneurysm surgery

Background

Indocyanine green video angiography (ICG–VA) is a safe and effective instrument to assess changes in cerebral blood flow during cerebrovascular surgery. After ICG-VA, FLOW 800 provides a color-coded map to directly observe the dynamic distribution of blood flow and to calculate semiquantitative blood flow parameters later. The purpose of our study is to assess whether FLOW 800 is useful for surgery of complex intracranial aneurysms and to provide reliable evidence for intraoperative decision-making.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed patients with complex aneurysms that underwent microsurgical and intraoperative evaluation of ICG-VA and FLOW 800 color-coded maps from February 2019 to May 2020. FLOW 800 data were correlated with patient characteristics, clinical outcomes, and intraoperative decision-making.

Results

The study included 32 patients with 42 complex aneurysms. All patients underwent ICG-VA FLOW 800 data provided semiquantitative data regarding localization, flow status in major feeding arteries; color maps confirmed relative adequate flow in parent, branching, and bypass vessels.

Conclusions

FLOW 800 is a useful supplement to ICG-VA for intraoperative cerebral blood flow assessment. ICG-VA and FLOW 800 can help to determine the blood flow status of the parent artery after aneurysm clipping and the bypass vessels after aneurysm bypass surgery.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41016-021-00247-z.

Woven Endobridge Embolization Versus Microsurgical Clipping for Unruptured Anterior Circulation Aneurysms: A Propensity Score Analysis

BACKGROUND

Intrasaccular flow-disruption represents a new paradigm in endovascular treatment of wide-necked bifurcation aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE

To retrospectively compare Woven Endobridge (WEB) embolization with microsurgical clipping for unruptured anterior circulation aneurysms using propensity score adjustment.

METHODS

A total of 63 patients treated with WEB and 103 patients treated with clipping were compared based on the intention-to-treat principle. The primary outcome measures were immediate technical treatment success, major adverse events, and 6-mo complete aneurysm occlusion.

RESULTS

The technical success rates were 83% for WEB and 100% for clipping. Procedure-related complications occurred more often in the clipping group (13%) than the WEB group (6%, adjusted P < .01). However, the rates of major adverse events were comparable in both groups (WEB: 3%, clip: 4%, adjusted P = .53). At the 6-mo follow-up, favorable functional outcomes were achieved in 98% of the WEB embolization group and 99% of the clipping group (adjusted P = .19). Six-month complete aneurysm occlusion was obtained in 75% of the WEB group and 94% of the clipping group (adjusted P < .01).

CONCLUSION

Microsurgical clipping was associated with higher technical success and complete occlusion rates, whereas WEB had a lower complication rate. Favorable functional outcomes were achieved in ≥98% of both groups. The decision to use a specific treatment modality should be made on an individual basis and in accordance with the patient's preferences.

Three-Dimensional Virtual Reality Simulation to Safe Planning Neurosurgical Procedure in Brain Aneurysms, Latin American Single-Center Experience: Advantages and Limitations

Background The neurosurgical approach to clipping cerebral aneurysms has been a complex challenge for all neurosurgeon experts in cerebrovascular surgery. The three-dimensional computed tomography angiography (3D-CTA) allows identifying bone and vascular structures close to an aneurysm to simulate in virtual 3D images, the appropriate and safest approach to cerebral aneurysm clipping.

Objectives This study aims to share our experience using 3D simulation as a support to the safe planning for cerebrovascular disease surgery.

Materials and Methods We reviewed the surgical outcomes from a cerebrovascular neurosurgeon using the 3D-CTA images in 360-degree reconstruction in the planning of the preoperative surgical procedure for the treatment of brain aneurysm. In all patients, the virtual surgical approach was replicated in real-time surgery.

Results We analyzed 34 patients around 51 ± 8 years of age. Of these, 76.5% (n = 26) and 23.5% (n = 8) were males and females, respectively. Saccular aneurysms were the most frequent (85%), the Arteries affected by aneurysms were middle cerebral artery (n = 6), basilar tip (n = 6), vertebral artery in V3 and V4 (n = 6), and posterior cerebral artery (n = 5). The virtual surgical pterional approach was the most frequently used (50%), followed by fronto-orbito-zigomático (29%) and far lateral (15%) approaches. There were no intraoperative complications in any patient.

Conclusion Preoperative 3D virtual reality simulation is a great support tool to perform a safe surgical procedure in real-time for the treatment of simple and complex brain aneurysms.

Microsurgical Clipping versus Advanced Endovascular Treatment of Unruptured Middle Cerebral Artery Bifurcation Aneurysms After a "Coil-First" Policy

OBJECTIVE

Although intracranial aneurysms are increasingly treated endovascularly, microsurgical clipping has been the standard approach for middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms. We compared microsurgical clipping and state-of-the-art endovascular treatment of unruptured MCA bifurcation aneurysms treated at a neurovascular center following a "coil-first" policy.

METHODS

This single-center study included 148 patients treated for 160 unruptured MCA bifurcation aneurysms. Technical success, complications, clinical outcome, and angiographic results were retrospectively compared.

RESULTS

Microsurgical clipping was performed for 120 MCA aneurysms (75%) and endovascular treatment for 40 (25%; conventional coiling: 8, stent-assisted coiling: 16, balloon-assisted coiling: 3, and flow-disruption: 13). Technical treatment success was higher in the clipping group (100%) than in the endovascular group (92.5%, P = 0.015). Overall, complications occurred in 16.7% for clipping and in 20.0% for endovascular treatment (P = 0.631). Major ischemic stroke rates were 4.2% in the clipping group and 7.5% in the endovascular group (P = 0.414). At 6 months, a favorable outcome was obtained by 99.2% after clipping and 95.0% after endovascular treatment (P = 0.154). The 6-month complete aneurysm occlusion rates were by trend higher in the clipping group (89.2%) than in the endovascular group (75.9%, P = 0.078).

CONCLUSIONS

Microsurgical clipping was associated with a higher technical success rate and tendentially higher complete occlusion than endovascular treatment, with no additional morbidity and similar clinical outcome. On the basis of these results, clipping proves to be the standard treatment option for MCA bifurcation aneurysms. However, endovascular treatment represents a safe and efficient alternative treatment option for patients.

Impact of aneurysm shape and neck configuration on cerebral infarction during microsurgical clipping of intracranial aneurysms

OBJECTIVE

Cerebral infarction is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality related to microsurgical clipping of intracranial aneurysms. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of aneurysm shape and neck configuration on cerebral infarction after aneurysm surgery.

METHODS

The authors retrospectively reviewed consecutive cases of ruptured and unruptured aneurysms treated with microsurgical clipping at their institution between 2010 and 2018. Three-dimensional reconstructions from preoperative computed tomography and digital subtraction angiography were used to determine aneurysm shape (regular/complex) and neck configuration (regular/irregular). Morphological and procedure-related risk factors for cerebral infarction were identified using univariate and multivariate statistical analyses.

RESULTS

Among 243 patients with 252 aneurysms (148 ruptured, 104 unruptured), the overall cerebral infarction rate was 17.1%. Infarction tended to occur more often in aneurysms with complex shape (p = 0.084). Likewise, aneurysms with an irregular neck had a significantly higher rate of infarction (37.5%) than aneurysms with regular neck configuration (10.1%, p < 0.001). Aneurysms with an irregular neck were associated with a higher rate of intraoperative rupture (p = 0.003) and temporary parent artery occlusion (p = 0.037). In the multivariate analysis, irregular neck configuration was identified as an independent risk factor for infarction (OR 4.2, 95% CI 1.9-9.4, p < 0.001), whereas the association between aneurysm shape and infarction was not significant (p = 0.966).

CONCLUSIONS

Irregular aneurysm neck configuration represents an independent risk factor for cerebral infarction during microsurgical clipping of both ruptured and unruptured aneurysms.

Penumbral Salvage by Delayed Clip Reposition 19 Hours After Cerebral Aneurysm Clipping-Induced Ischemia Results in Neurologic Restitution-Correlation with Indocyanine Green Videoangiography and FLOW 800 Measurements

BACKGROUND

Cerebral infarction because of parent artery stenosis represents a potential complication of microsurgical aneurysm clipping.

CASE DESCRIPTION

We report a case of a 60-year-old woman that developed left-sided hemiparesis and aphasia 9 hours after clipping of an unruptured middle cerebral artery aneurysm with heavy calcification of the aneurysm neck. Angiographic workup revealed a marked parent artery stenosis, which occurred presumably because of thrombus generation at the reconstructed aneurysm neck. Revision surgery with relocation of the aneurysm clip was ultimately performed 19 hours after symptom onset. Although follow-up computed tomography scan showed a small cerebral infarction, the patient recovered fully from surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

This case shows that relocation of the aneurysm clip in case of vessel stenosis can lead to penumbral salvage, even when performed more than 6 hours after symptom onset.

Identifying Predictors for Aneurysm Remnants After Clipping by Morphometric Analysis and Proposal of a Novel Risk Score

OBJECTIVE

Although the risk of aneurysm remnants after microsurgical clipping is generally low, complete aneurysm occlusion is not always guaranteed. We performed a morphometric analysis of intracranial aneurysms to identify predictors for aneurysm remnants and to propose a novel risk score.

METHODS

This is a retrospective, single-center analysis of consecutive patients with ruptured and unruptured aneurysms who underwent microsurgical clipping and postoperative digital subtraction angiography between 2010 and 2018. Based on preoperative rotational angiography, distinct morphologic aneurysm characteristics were determined and correlated with postoperative angiographic results. Factors predictive in the univariate and multivariate analyses were determined to establish a risk score for postoperative remnants after aneurysm clipping.

RESULTS

Among 140 patients with 166 clipped aneurysms, aneurysm remnants were present in 19.9%. In the multivariate analysis, ruptured aneurysm status (odds ratio [OR], 7.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-36; P < 0.01) and increased aspect ratio (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.0-4.0; P = 0.07) were associated with postoperative aneurysm remnants. Anterior communicating artery location (P = 0.02), internal carotid artery location (P = 0.06), increased aneurysm inclination angle (P < 0.01), and irregular aneurysm shape (P = 0.07) were further predictors for aneurysm remnants in the univariate analysis. These factors were weighted and included into a risk sum score for postoperative aneurysm remnants (range, 0-8 points), which performed with good accuracy (area under the curve = 0.807).

CONCLUSIONS

After external validation of the proposed risk score, it could help identify cases requiring angiographic control after aneurysm surgery.