Double Stent Assist Coiling of Ruptured Large Saccular Aneurysm in Proximal Basilar Artery Fenestration

Endovascular treatment modalities for basilar artery fenestration aneurysms: experience of two centers and literature review

Background/aim

The aim of this study is to present our experience on various endovascular treatment modalities of basilar fenestration aneurysms and reviewing our findings together with literature data.

Materials and methods

A total of 26 basilar artery fenestration (BAF) aneurysms in 24 patients were endovascularly treated in two different neurointerventional radiology clinics. All patients had been evaluated with computed tomography (CT), CT angiography, and digital subtraction angiography before the procedure.

Results

Aneurysms of all patients were successfully occluded (technical success rate 100%). Procedure-related complications were seen in two patients. Our comprehensive literature research revealed that studies related with the topic are composed mostly of case reports. In the literature, a total of 113 BAF aneurysms of 101 patients had been treated endovascularly in 46 studies between 1993 and 2019. Success rate of the treatment was reported as 97%, clinical success rate as 91%, and complication rate as 8.8%, while these rates are 100%, 92%, and 7.6% in our study, respectively.

Conclusion

Although the number of cases is low in our study, to our knowledge, it is the widest series in the literature until today. Our results demonstrate that BAF aneurysms can be treated successfully and safely with different endovascular techniques, with more stent use in recent years.

A Very Rapidly Growing, Spontaneous, Internal Carotid Artery Dissecting Aneurysm Triggering Simultaneous Complete Ophthalmoplegia and a Cerebral Infarct

BACKGROUND

Simultaneous ipsilateral complete ophthalmoplegia and multiple cerebral infarctions are very rare, especially secondary to a very rapidly growing, spontaneous dissecting aneurysm in the cavernous segment of the internal carotid artery (ICA).

CASE DESCRIPTION

We describe a 26-year-old woman who presented with sudden-onset, right-sided, spontaneous ophthalmoplegia with left hemiparesis. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a middle cerebral artery territory infarction. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) revealed multiple arterial dissections involving both the vertebral artery and right ICA, with a dissecting aneurysm in the cavernous segment of the ICA. On day 3, the partial ophthalmoplegia worsened to complete ophthalmoplegia (third, fourth, and sixth cranial nerve palsies), despite conservative treatment. Follow-up DSA showed increased aneurysm size. The dissecting aneurysm was successfully managed by stent-assisted coil embolization. After endovascular treatment, the ophthalmoplegia, ptosis, and headache gradually resolved.

CONCLUSION

This is the first reported case of simultaneous cerebral infarction and complete ophthalmoplegia attributed to a rapidly growing dissecting aneurysm of the cavernous ICA; such aneurysms readily cause thromboembolism. Physicians who treat patients with dissecting aneurysms should carefully monitor aneurysm growth.