Adjuvant hyperbaric oxygen treatment of acute brain herniation after microsurgical clipping of a recurring cerebral aneurysm: a case report

Introduction: Acute brain herniation is a life-threatening neurological condition that occasionally develops due to severe complications following cerebral aneurysm clipping. Strategies for managing acute brain herniation have not improved substantially during the past decade. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) may alleviate harmful effects of cerebral hypoxia, which is one of the most important pathophysiological features of acute brain herniation and, therefore, may be useful as an adjuvant therapy for acute brain herniation. A case treated with adjuvant HBOT is reported. Case report: A 60-year-old asymptomatic man presented with a recurring left middle cerebral artery bifurcation aneurysm with previous stent-assisted embolisation. After craniotomy for surgical clipping of the aneurysm, disturbance of consciousness and right hemiplegia occurred. Computed tomography (CT) images suggested simultaneous cerebral ischaemia and intracranial haemorrhage. Pharmacologic treatment resulted in no improvement. A CT scan acquired five days after surgery showed uncal and falcine herniation. HBOT was administered five days after surgery, and the patient’s condition dramatically improved. He became conscious, and his hemiplegia improved following seven sessions of HBOT. Simultaneously, CT images showed regression of the acute brain herniation. Conclusions: The patient had recovered completely at one year post-treatment. HBOT may be effective in the treatment of acute brain herniation following cerebral aneurysm clipping.

Treatment of a middle cerebral artery bifurcation aneurysm with the novel Contour Neurovascular System compatible with 0.021″ catheters

Background For wide-necked intracranial aneurysms, endo-saccular flow disruption can be a viable alternative to coiling or flow diverters. The Contour Neurovascular System is an intrasaccular flow diverter device targeting the neck of the aneurysm. Until now, the system had to be delivered through a 0.027″ microcatheter. We report the first implantation and follow-up of the novel Contour 021 system compatible with 0.021″ microcatheters. Case presentation: A 54-year-old male patient presented with an unruptured right middle cerebral artery aneurysm at the right temporopolar branch. Existing medication included apixaban. An arteriogram showed a broad-based aneurysm. Due to its asymmetric geometry, neither the Woven EndoBridge nor stent-assisted coil embolisation were regarded as promising treatment strategies. To uphold the option of different treatment options, prasugrel 10 mg was initiated before treatment. Implantation was performed under general anaesthesia via femoral artery puncture. A 0.021″ Headway™ catheter was used for accessing the aneurysm. The Contour device was oversized to the equatorial plane. Deployment was successful with only one attempt without the need for re-sheathing. Follow-up catheter angiography was performed after three months, showing complete occlusion of the aneurysm. No procedure-related complications occurred. Conclusion The 0.021 design of the Contour enlarges the subgroup of patients that can be treated with endo-saccular devices and will enable treatment of smaller and more distal aneurysms.

Endoluminal flow diverters in the treatment of sidewall and bifurcation aneurysm: A systematic review and meta-analysis of complications and angiographic outcomes

Background and aim The use of endoluminal flow diversion in bifurcation aneurysms has been questioned due to the potential for complications and lower occlusion rates. In this study we assessed outcomes of endovascular treatment of intracranial sidewall and bifurcation aneurysms with flow diverters Methods In July 2020, a literature search for all studies utilizing endoluminal flow diverter treatment for sidewall or bifurcation aneurysms was performed. Data were collected from studies that met our inclusion/exclusion criteria by two independent reviewers and confirmed by a third reviewer. Using random-effects meta-analysis the target outcomes including overall complications (hematoma, ischemic events, minor ischemic stroke, aneurysm rupture, side vessel occlusion, stenosis, thrombosis, transient ischemic stroke, and other complications), perioperative complications, and follow-up (long-term) aneurysm occlusion were intestigated. Results Overall, we included 35 studies with 1084 patients with 1208 aneurysms. Of these aneurysms, 654 (54.14%) and 554 (45.86%) were classified as sidewall and bifurcation aneurysm, respectively, based on aneurysm location. Sidewall aneurysms had a similar total complication rate (R) of 27.12% (95% CI, 16.56%–41.09%), compared with bifurcation aneurysms (R, 20.40%, 95% CI, 13.24%–30.08%) (p = 0.3527). Follow-up angiographic outcome showed comparable complete occlusion rates for sidewall aneurysms (R 69.49%; 95%CI, 62.41%–75.75%) and bifurcation aneurysms (R 73.99%; 95% CI, 65.05%–81.31%; p = 0.4328). Conclusions This meta-analysis of sidewall and bifurcation aneurysms treated with endoluminal flow diverters demonstrated no significant differences in complications or occlusion rates. These data provide new information that can be used as a benchmark for comparison with emerging devices for the treatment of bifurcation aneurysms.

Thrombectomy and Clip Occlusion of a Giant, Stent-Coiled Basilar Bifurcation Aneurysm: 3-Dimensional Operative Video

Giant basilar apex aneurysms are associated with significant therapeutic challenges.1–6 Multiple techniques exist to treat giant basilar apex aneurysms, including direct clipping, stent-assisted coil embolization, and proximal occlusion with bypass revascularization.7–9 Hypothermic circulatory arrest was a useful adjunct for surgical repair of these aneurysms but has been abandoned because of associated risks.10,11 Rapid ventricular pacing can achieve similar aneurysm softening with minimal risks and assist in clip occlusion. This case illustrates clip occlusion of a giant, partially thrombosed, previously stent-coiled basilar apex aneurysm in a 15-yr-old boy with progressive cranial neuropathies and sensorimotor impairment. Although a wire was placed preoperatively for ventricular pacing, it was not needed during the procedure. Patient consent was obtained. A right-sided orbitozygomatic craniotomy transcavernous approach with anterior and posterior clinoidectomies was performed. The basilar quadrification was dissected, and proximal control was obtained. After aneurysm trapping, the aneurysm was incised and thrombectomized using an ultrasonic aspirator. Back-bleeding from the aneurysm was anticipated, and ventricular pacing was ready, but back-bleeding was minimal. With the coil mass left in place, stacked, fenestrated clips were applied in a tandem fashion to occlude the aneurysm neck. Indocyanine green videoangiography confirmed occlusion of the aneurysm and patency of parent and branch arteries. The patient was at a neurological baseline after the operation, with improvement in motor skills and cognition at 3-mo follow-up. This case demonstrates the use of trans-sylvian-transcavernous exposure, rapid ventricular pacing, and thrombectomy amid previous coils and stents to clip a giant, thrombotic basilar apex aneurysm. Used with permission from Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona.

The SMART Registry: Long-Term Results on the Utility of the Penumbra SMART COIL System for Treatment of Intracranial Aneurysms and Other Malformations

Introduction: Penumbra SMART COIL® (SMART) System is a novel generation embolic coil with varying stiffness. The study purpose was to report real-world usage of the SMART System in patients with intracranial aneurysms (ICA) and non-aneurysm vascular lesions.Materials and Methods: The SMART Registry is a post-market, prospective, multicenter registry requiring ≥75% Penumbra Coils, including SMART, PC400, and/or POD coils. The primary efficacy endpoint was retreatment rate at 1-year and the primary safety endpoint was the procedural device-related serious adverse event rate.Results: Between June 2016 and August 2018, 995 patients (mean age 59.6 years, 72.1% female) were enrolled at 68 sites in the U.S. and Canada. Target lesions were intracranial aneurysms in 91.0% of patients; 63.5% were wide-neck and 31.8% were ruptured. Adjunctive devices were used in 55.2% of patients. Mean packing density was 32.3%. Procedural device-related serious adverse events occurred in 2.6% of patients. The rate of immediate post-procedure adequate occlusion was 97.1% in aneurysms and the rate of complete occlusion was 85.2% in non-aneurysms. At 1-year, the retreatment rate was 6.8%, Raymond Roy Occlusion Classification (RROC) I or II was 90.0% for aneurysms, and Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 0-2 was achieved in 83.1% of all patients. Predictors of 1-year for RROC III or retreatment (incomplete occlusion) were rupture status (P < 0.0001), balloon-assisted coiling (P = 0.0354), aneurysm size (P = 0.0071), and RROC III immediate post-procedure (P = 0.0086) in a model that also included bifurcation aneurysm (P = 0.7788). Predictors of aneurysm retreatment at 1-year was rupture status (P < 0.0001).Conclusions: Lesions treated with SMART System coils achieved low long-term retreatment rates.Clinical Trial Registration:https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier NCT02729740.

Case Report: Persistent Primitive Hypoglossal Artery Accompanied by a Basilar Bifurcation Aneurysm Treated by Y-Stent-Assisted Coil Embolization

Successful embolization of a basilar bifurcation aneurysm associated with a persistent primitive hypoglossal artery (PPHA) using Y-stent-assisted coiling.

Hemodynamic effects of intracranial aneurysms from stent-induced straightening of parent vessels by stent-assisted coiling embolization

Background Straightening of parent vessels happens for stent-assisted coiling embolization (SACE) treatment of intracranial aneurysms. This study aims to investigate aneurysmal hemodynamic modifications caused by stent-induced vessel straightening. Methods Stent and coil deployments of a SACE-treated distal bifurcation aneurysm by finite element method were performed first with the preoperative (not straightened, NS) and postoperative (straightened, S) vessel models respectively. Computational fluid dynamics were then performed for eight models, including (I) NS only model, (II) NS+stent model, (III) NS+coils model, (IV) NS+stent+coils model, (V) S only model, (VI) S+stent model, (VII) S+coils model, and (VIII) S+stent+coils model. Finally, changes in aneurysmal flow velocity, isovelocity surface and wall shear stress (WSS) were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Results The flow was less in the S models than that in the corresponding NS models. Coils blocked most of the flow into the aneurysm sac in both NS models and S models and vessel straightening had more profound effect on the high aneurysmal flow volume reduction than coiling, while stenting generated adverse effect on flow reduction. Taking the NS only model as baseline (100%), the sac-averaged velocities of models II to VIII were 112%, 36%, 42%, 45%, 39%, 12%, 13%, and high flow volumes were 119%, 21%, 30%, 10%, 8%, 3%, 3%, while the sac-averaged WSSs were 106%, 37%, 44%, 41%, 35%, 17% and 24%, respectively. Conclusions Stent-induced vessel straightening combined coil embolization has the best performance in hemodynamic modifications and may reduce the recurrence rate, whereas stenting may generate adverse effect on hemodynamic alterations.