Multimodal treatment of ruptured dissecting aneurysms of the vertebral artery during the acute stage

2003 ◽  
Vol 99 (6) ◽  
pp. 960-966 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun-ichiro Hamada ◽  
Yutaka Kai ◽  
Motohiro Morioka ◽  
Shigetoshi Yano ◽  
Tatemi Todaka ◽  
...  

Object. The goal of this study was to implement an algorithm for and assess the multimodal (endovascular and microsurgical) treatment of patients with ruptured dissecting aneurysms of the vertebral artery (VA) during the acute stage. Methods. During a 4-year period, the authors treated 19 ruptured dissecting aneurysms of the VA during the acute stage, within 3 days after the hemorrhage. Factors guiding management decisions were tolerance of the test occlusion and the site of the dissection. The algorithm takes into account these factors to select among treatment options, that is, trapping of the VA with Guglielmi Detachable Coils (GDCs); trapping of the VA and revascularization of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA); trapping of the VA and VA—posterior cerebral artery (PCA) anastomosis; and trapping of the VA, VA—PCA anastomosis, and revascularization of the PICA. Of the 15 aneurysms without PICA involvement, 14 were treated by trapping of the VA with GDCs and one by trapping of the VA and a VA—PCA bypass. The other four aneurysms with PICA involvement were treated by VA trapping and PICA revascularization. There was no episode of recurrent hemorrhage or ischemia during the posttreatment follow-up period. Although lateral medullary syndrome developed as a permanent complication in one patient, a good recovery was made by the other 18 patients by 6 months after the ictus. Conclusions. The factors that determine the appropriate treatment for ruptured dissecting aneurysms of the VA are tolerance of a test occlusion and the site of dissection. Favorable patient outcomes can be achieved when this algorithm is used.

2002 ◽  
Vol 96 (5) ◽  
pp. 867-871 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun-ichiro Hamada ◽  
Tatemi Todaka ◽  
Shigetoshi Yano ◽  
Yutaka Kai ◽  
Motohiro Morioka ◽  
...  

Object. In patients with aneurysms that require occlusion of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA), revascularization of this artery should be performed. A novel surgical method for revascularization of the PICA is presented. Methods. After a segment of the superficial temporal artery (STA) was harvested, the aneurysm was treated by trapping, followed by placement of a vertebral artery (VA)—PICA bypass in which the STA segment was used as a graft. When the length of the proximal PICA was inadequate, the distal end of the STA was anastomosed to the proximal PICA in an end-to-side fashion. When the length of the proximal PICA was adequate, the STA was anastomosed to the proximal PICA in an end-to-end fashion. In either case, the proximal end of the STA was anastomosed to the VA in an end-to-side fashion. This procedure was used in nine patients whose aneurysms involved the PICA. Although partial lateral medullary syndrome developed in one of them, follow-up evaluation revealed graft patency in all patients. There were no instances of recurrent hemorrhage or ischemia. Conclusions. Although this procedure requires harvesting of an STA graft and two anastomoses, it facilitates anterograde flow to the PICA territory. It also involves minimal mobilization of brainstem perforating vessels and the proximal PICA.


2001 ◽  
Vol 94 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Lylyk ◽  
José E. Cohen ◽  
Rosana Ceratto ◽  
Angel Ferrario ◽  
Carlos Miranda

Object. With the recent development and refinement of endovascular stents, the significant potential for these devices in the treatment of wide-necked dissecting and fusiform aneurysms has become apparent. In this article the authors report on the use of stents and coils to treat dissecting and fusiform vertebral artery (VA) aneurysms. Methods. Eight consecutive patients harboring eight dissecting aneurysms and one fusiform aneurysm of the VA were succesfully treated using a procedure in which the authors inserted an intravascular stent and secondary endosaccular coils when needed. In all but one patient complete aneurysm occlusion was achieved, and in all cases there was no neurological complication. Follow-up angiography examinations were performed in all patients (mean duration of follow-up angiography review 13.1 months, range 3–42 months). The patients remained stable throughout the clinical follow-up period (mean 14.1 months, range 4–42 months). No rebleeding was recorded. Conclusions. At present this combined approach represents a reliable and safe alternative for the treatment of VA dissecting aneurysms, especially in patients who cannot tolerate occlusion tests.


2005 ◽  
Vol 102 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Motoshi Sawada ◽  
Yasuhiko Kaku ◽  
Shinichi Yoshimura ◽  
Masahiro Kawaguchi ◽  
Takashi Matsuhisa ◽  
...  

✓ Occlusion of the parent artery is a traditional method of treatment of unclippable cerebral aneurysms. Surgical or endovascular occlusion of the parent artery proximal to the aneurysm has been recommended for the treatment of dissecting aneurysms located in the vertebrobasilar circulation. Nevertheless, occlusion of the parent artery may not result in permanent exclusion of the aneurysm from the systemic circulation because, occasionally, postoperative rebleeding occurs after proximal occlusion. Alternatively, endovascular occlusion of the affected site, including the aneurysmal dilation, and parent artery, is a safe and reliable treatment for dissecting aneurysms. The authors present two rare cases of ruptured vertebral artery (VA) dissecting aneurysms that were treated by endovascular occlusion of the affected site including the aneurysm and parent artery by using Guglielmi detachable coils. In both cases the VA recanalized in an antegrade fashion during the follow-up period. Based on these unique cases, the authors suggest that a careful angiographic follow up of dissecting aneurysms is required, even in patients successfully treated with endovascular occlusion of the affected artery and aneurysm.


2001 ◽  
Vol 95 (2) ◽  
pp. 268-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshio Matsushima ◽  
Koichiro Matsukado ◽  
Yoshihiro Natori ◽  
Takanori Inamura ◽  
Tsutomu Hitotsumatsu ◽  
...  

Object. The authors report on the surgical results they achieved in caring for patients with vertebral artery—posterior inferior cerebellar artery (VA—PICA) saccular aneurysms that were treated via either the transcondylar fossa (supracondylar transjugular tubercle) approach or the transcondylar approach. In this report they clarify the characteristics of and differences between these two lateral skull base approaches. They also present the techniques they used in performing the transcondylar fossa approach, especially the maneuver used to remove the jugular tubercle extradurally without injuring the atlantooccipital joint. Methods. Eight patients underwent surgery for VA—PICA saccular aneurysms (six ruptured and two unruptured ones) during which one of the two approaches was performed. Clinical data including neurological and radiological findings and reports of the operative procedures were analyzed. The Glasgow Outcome Scale was used to estimate the activities of daily living experienced by the patients. In all cases the aneurysm was successfully clipped and no permanent neurological deficits remained, except for one case of severe vasospasm. In seven of the eight patients, the transcondylar fossa approach provided a sufficient operative field for clipping the aneurysm without difficulty. In the remaining patient, in whom the aneurysm was located at the midline on the clivus at the level of the hypoglossal canal, the aneurysm could not be found by using the transcondylar fossa approach; thus, the route was changed to the transcondylar approach, and clipping was performed below the hypoglossal nerve rootlets. Conclusions. Both approaches offer excellent visualization and a wide working field, with ready access to the lesion. This remarkably reduces the risk of development of postoperative deficits. These approaches should be used properly: the transcondylar fossa approach is indicated for aneurysms located above the hypoglossal canal and the transcondylar approach is indicated for those located below it.


2004 ◽  
Vol 101 (1) ◽  
pp. 159-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuichi Tanoue ◽  
Hiro Kiyosue ◽  
Shunro Matsumoto ◽  
Masanori Yamashita ◽  
Hirofumi Nagatomi ◽  
...  

✓ A ruptured blisterlike aneurysm of the supraclinoid ICA rarely occurs. Nevertheless, it is recognized as a dangerous lesion because of the high risk of intraoperative bleeding associated with this lesion's wide fragile neck. There has been only one report of a blisterlike aneurysm treated by endosaccular packing after surgical wrapping. The authors describe the case of a ruptured blisterlike aneurysm with a pseudoaneurysm cavity, which was treated by coil embolization. This 63-year-old woman suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Three cerebral aneurysms were identified on cerebral angiograms. A large saccular aneurysm at the ophthalmic portion of the right ICA was embolized with Guglielmi Detachable Coils (GDCs). Two small hemipherically shaped aneurysms on the C-2 and C-3 portions of the left ICA were observed conservatively. Thirteen days later, recurrent SAH was identified on computerized tomography scans. Angiography demonstrated the formation of a pseudoaneurysm from the aneurysm on the C-2 portion of the left ICA. Endosaccular embolization with GDCs was performed 40 days after admission. Disappearance of the pseudoaneurysm cavity and residual dome filling was seen immediately after the procedure. Follow-up angiography performed 9 months after embolization demonstrated complete obliteration of the aneurysm. This case illustrates that when treatment options for a blisterlike aneurysm with a pseudoaneurysm are unsuitable during the acute phase, coil embolization can be applied following progression of the lesion into a saccular aneurysm during the chronic stage.


1999 ◽  
Vol 90 (5) ◽  
pp. 853-856 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ikuya Yamaura ◽  
Eiichi Tani ◽  
Masayuki Yokota ◽  
Atsuhisa Nakano ◽  
Masahiro Fukami ◽  
...  

Object. Surgical or endovascular occlusion of the parent artery proximal to an aneurysm has been recommended for treatment of dissecting aneurysms of the intracranial posterior circulation. However, dissecting aneurysms may rupture even after proximal occlusion because distal progression of thrombus is necessary to occlude the dissecting aneurysm completely, and this may be delayed by the presence of retrograde flow. In this article the authors present their experience in treating six patients with ruptured dissecting aneurysms.Methods. The authors report on six patients with a ruptured dissecting aneurysm in the posterior fossa who were successfully treated by endovascular occlusion of the aneurysm by using Guglielmi detachable coils. The procedure was particularly aimed at occluding the dissected site.Conclusions. At the present time, endovascular occlusion of the dissected site is a safe, minimally invasive, and reliable treatment for dissecting aneurysms when a test occlusion is tolerated and adequate collateral circulation is present.


2004 ◽  
Vol 101 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masaru Yamada ◽  
Takao Kitahara ◽  
Akira Kurata ◽  
Kiyotaka Fujii ◽  
Yoshio Miyasaka

Object. Intracranial vertebral artery (VA) dissection with subarachnoid hemorrhage is notorious for frequent rebleeding and a poor prognosis. Nevertheless, some patients survive with a good final outcome. The factors associated with the prognosis of this disease are not fully understood and appropriate treatment strategies continue to be debated. The authors retrospectively evaluated the clinical features of conservatively treated patients to elucidate the relationship between the clinical and angiographic characteristics of the disease and final outcomes. Methods. This study includes 24 patients who were treated by conservative methods between 1990 and 2000. Conservative treatment was chosen because of delayed diagnosis, poor clinical condition, or anatomical features such as bilateral lesions and contralateral VA hypoplasia. Of nine patients with an admission Hunt and Kosnik Grade I or II, eight had good outcomes (mean follow-up period 8 years and 4 months). All 15 patients with Grade III, IV, or V died and in 10 of these the cause of death was rebleeding. Among the 24 patients, 14 suffered a total of 35 rebleeding episodes; in 10 (71.4%) of these 14 patients rebleeding occurred within 6 hours and in 13 (93%) within 24 hours. Compared with the survivors, there was a female preponderance (0.022) among patients who died. These patients also had significantly shorter intervals between onset and hospital admission (p = 0.0067), a higher admission Hunt and Kosnik grade (p = 0.0001), a higher incidence of prehospitalization (p = 0.0296) and postadmission (p = 0.0029) rebleeding episodes, and a higher incidence of angiographically confirmed pearl-and-string structure of the lesion (p = 0.0049). Conclusions. In our series of preselected patients, poor admission neurological grade, rebleeding episode(s), and lesions with a pearl-and-string structure were predictive of poor outcomes. Our findings indicate that patients with these characteristics may be candidates for aggressive attempts to prevent rebleeding during the acute stage. Patients without these characteristics may be good candidates for conservative treatment, especially those who survive the acute phase without rebleeding.


2016 ◽  
Vol 125 (4) ◽  
pp. 953-963 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nakao Ota ◽  
Rokuya Tanikawa ◽  
Hirotake Eda ◽  
Takashi Matsumoto ◽  
Takanori Miyazaki ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVE Bilateral vertebral artery dissecting aneurysms (VADAs) have a poor prognosis because progressive enlargement of the aneurysms compresses the brainstem or causes subarachnoid hemorrhage. The trapping of 1 vertebral artery (VA) places increased hemodynamic stress on the contralateral VA and may lead to enlargement and rupture. Therefore, management strategies are controversial. This study describes a radical treatment for bilateral VADAs using bypass surgery. METHODS Seven patients with bilateral VADAs were included. Three patients were treated by trapping of 1 VA via coiling or clipping at another hospital; the previously treated VA in 1 patient and the contralateral untreated VA in 2 patients subsequently enlarged. The other 4 patients presented without previous intervention and progressive enlargement of the aneurysms. RESULTS The post–coil embolization patients underwent V3–posterior cerebral artery (PCA) bypass and trapping. The other 4 patients underwent VA reconstruction via V3–V4 or V4–V4 bypass, with contralateral trapping on a separate day in 3 patients and observation in 1 patient. Perioperative complications included 1 case of cerebrospinal fluid leakage for which the patient required an additional operation, 1 case of dysphagia and facial palsy due to sigmoid sinus thrombosis, and 1 case of dysphagia. The long-term outcomes of these patients were favorable. CONCLUSIONS Patients with bilateral VADAs require treatment on both sides. If VA trapping is performed first, the treatment options for the other side are limited to V3-PCA bypass and trapping. This procedure is effective; however, it is also invasive and technically difficult. In cases of bilateral VADAs in which it is feasible to reconstruct 1 side, the best approach is to begin by reconstructing the VA that appears technically easiest, followed by trapping of the contralateral VADA. This strategy allows enough time to suture vessels because contralateral reverse flow is maintained.


1999 ◽  
Vol 91 (4) ◽  
pp. 645-652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew D. Fine ◽  
Alberto Cardoso ◽  
Albert L. Rhoton

Object. The authors describe the microsurgical anatomy of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) with an extradural origin and discuss its importance as a common variation.Methods. The microsurgical anatomy of paired PICAs with an extradural origin were examined.Conclusions. Five to 20% of PICAs have an extradural origin. In the case described, both PICAs arose extradurally from the third segment of the vertebral artery (VA). Both origins were less than 1 cm proximal to the site at which the VA penetrated the dura, and neither PICA gave rise to extradural branches. Extradurally, the PICAs coursed parallel to the VA and the C-1 nerve and the three structures penetrated the dura together. Intradurally, the PICAs remained lateral and posterior to the brainstem, whereas, in the common PICA configuration, the first segment of the PICA courses anterior to the medulla. Neither PICA sent branches to the anterior brainstem, which is commonly found in PICAs with an intradural origin. There were no soft-tissue or bone anomalies.


1974 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 671-680 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelley N. Chou ◽  
Humberto J. Ortiz-Suarez

✓ Twenty patients with basilar bifurcation aneurysms and subarachnoid hemorrhage were treated surgically as a consecutive series irrespective of preoperative grading. There were six fatalities; eight of the survivors have done well while six are in poor condition. The authors also report a series of 13 surgical cases of posterior fossa aneurysm not located at the basilar bifurcation, three on the posterior cerebral artery, five on the basilar trunk, and five on the vertebral origin of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. There were two operative deaths and one late death due to pulmonary embolism. The other 10 have had good results.


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