Outpatient treatment of cerebral aneurysms: A case series

Background: Major advances in the endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms have reduced the incidence of intra- and postprocedural complications. The length of stay after treatment for incidental aneurysms remains between early next-day discharge and 2 days. We hypothesized that discharging patients the same day would not be associated with any increase in the rate of postdischarge adverse events. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of patients who underwent an elective coiling procedure between 2015 and 2020 at three centers and were discharged from hospital on the same day as the procedure. Patients were clinically evaluated 6 h, 1 week, and 6 months after the procedure, with repeat cerebral angiography performed 1 year after the procedure. Results: Eleven eligible patients underwent outpatient treatment of 12 aneurysms treated through the wrist. No complications were identified within 1 week of the procedure. Clinical evaluation 6 months after treatment also failed to reveal any complication associated with the procedure. Only one of the seven patients who underwent 1 year angiography required retreatment. Conclusion: It is possible to safely perform coiled embolization of cerebral aneurysms in select outpatients with unruptured cerebral aneurysms.

LO54: Emergency department prevalence of intracranial aneurysm on computed tomography angiography (EPIC-ACT)

Introduction: Evidence is accumulating that a CT plus a CT angiogram (CTA) of the head and neck may be adequate to rule out subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) in patients with a thunderclap headache, thus potentially negating the need for lumbar puncture. One of the most widely cited objections to this strategy is the fear of detecting “incidental asymptomatic aneurysms,” lesions seen on angiography that are not in fact the cause of the patient's symptoms. Currently existing data on the background rate of aneurysms are based on cadaveric studies, invasive angiography, or MRI, and thus does not reflect the true rate of incidental aneurysms that would be detected using a CT plus CTA strategy. This study characterizes the rate of incidental aneurysms identified on CTA in an emergency department population. Methods: In this multicentre retrospective cohort study we analyzed the electronic medical records of all emergency department patients ≥ 18 years of age who underwent CTA of the head and neck over a two month period across four urban tertiary care emergency departments. Two independent reviewers evaluated the final radiology reports and extracted relevant data. The primary outcome of interest was the presence of incidental intracranial aneurysm, defined as a newly diagnosed aneurysm not associated with evidence of acute hemorrhage. Secondary outcomes included aneurysm location and size. Results: Of 739 charts meeting inclusion criteria, incidental intracranial aneurysms were detected in 21 cases or 2.85% (95% confidence interval, 1.77 - 4.32). An additional 20 aneurysms were identified but excluded from the analysis as they were previously known (n = 9) or were associated with evidence of acute hemorrhage (n = 11) and thus were not considered incidental. Of 21 patients with identified incidental aneurysms, 7 had multiple aneurysms. The most common aneurysm sites were internal carotid artery (n = 13), middle cerebral artery (n = 6) and anterior cerebral artery (n = 4). The average size of incidental aneurysm was 4.1 mm. Conclusion: The rate of incidental intracranial aneurysm among emergency department patients undergoing CTA of the head and neck is lower than many previously described estimates obtained through invasive angiography and MRI studies. To our knowledge, this is the first study on the prevalence of incidental intracranial aneurysms in an emergency department specific population and may therefore help guide clinicians when considering using a CT plus CTA rule out strategy for patients presenting with acute headache suspicious for SAH.

Suprapraorbital “key-hole” Approach for Surgical Treatment of Middle Cerebral Artery Aneurysms

Objective. To describe details and technical difficulties observed in the use of this access for the treatment of middle cerebral artery aneurysms. Methods. This is a retrospective study including 15 patients with middle cerebral artery aneurysm operated on using this technique (two ruptured aneurysms and 13 incidental aneurysms). We considered age, gender, laterality of the aneurysm, and whether it was ruptured. We evaluated the surgical corridor (surgical field exposure and ease of handling of the surgical instruments), surgery time, complications, functional and cosmetic results. Results. This access provides adequate exposure of the surgical field, but the restricted working angle makes it difficult to dissect the aneurysm and, especially, to place the definitive clip. Conclusion. The restriction of the working angle may compromise the safety of the surgery. It is important to determine the specific indications for this access, particularly in cases of incidental aneurysms.

Level of headaches after surgical aneurysm clipping decreases significantly faster compared to endovascular coiled patients

In incidental aneurysms, endovascular treatment can lead to post-procedural headaches. We studied the difference of surgical <em>clipping</em> <em>vs</em>. endovascular <em>coiling</em> in concern to post-procedural headaches in patients with ruptured aneurysms. Sixtyseven patients with aneurysmal subarachnoidal haemorrhage were treated in our department from September 1^st 2015 - September 1^st 2016. 43 Patients were included in the study and the rest was excluded because of late recovery or highgrade subarachnoid bleedings. Twenty-two were surgical treated and twenty-one were interventionally treated. We compared the post-procedural headaches at the time points of 24 h, 21 days, and 3 months after treatment using the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain. After surgical clipping the headache score decreased for 8.8 points in the VAS, whereas the endovascular treated population showed a decrease of headaches of 3.3 points. This difference was highly statistical significant and remained significant even after 3 weeks where the pain score for the surgically treated patients was 0.68 and for the endovascular treated 1.8. After 3 months the pain was less than 1 for both groups with surgically treated patients scoring 0.1 and endovascular treated patients 0.9 (not significant). Clipping is relieving the headaches of patients with aneurysm rupture faster and more effective than endovascular coiling. This effect stays significant for at least 3 weeks and plays a crucial role in stress relieve during the acute and subacute ICU care of such patients.

Comparison of eye-lens doses imparted during interventional and non-interventional neuroimaging techniques for assessment of intracranial aneurysms

BackgroundA neurointerventional examination of intracranial aneurysms often involves the eye lens in the primary beam of radiation.ObjectiveTo assess and compare eye-lens doses imparted during interventional and non-interventional imaging techniques for the examination of intracranial aneurysms.MethodsWe performed a phantom study on an anthropomorphic phantom (ATOM dosimetry phantom 702-D; CIRS, Norfolk, Virginia, USA) and assessed eye-lens doses with thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) type 100 (LiF:Mg, Ti) during (1) interventional (depiction of all cerebral arteries with triple 3D-rotational angiography and twice 2-plane DSA anteroposterior and lateral projections) and (2) non-interventional (CT angiography (CTA)) diagnosis of intracranial aneurysms. Eye-lens doses were calculated following recommendations of the ICRP 103. Image quality was analysed in retrospective by two experienced radiologists on the basis of non-interventional and interventional pan-angiography examinations of patients with incidental aneurysms (n=50) on a five-point Likert scale.ResultsThe following eye-lens doses were assessed: (1) interventional setting (triple 3D-rotational angiography and twice 2-plane DSA anteroposterior and lateral projections) 12 mGy; (2) non-interventional setting (CTA) 4.1 mGy. Image quality for depiction of intracranial aneurysms (>3 mm) was evaluated as good by both readers for both imaging techniques.ConclusionsEye-lens doses are markedly higher during the interventional than during the non-interventional diagnosis of intracranial aneurysms. For the eye-lens dose, CTA offers considerable radiation dose savings in the diagnosis of intracranial aneurysms.