title: Outcome in 43 patients with distal anterior cerebral artery aneurysms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this retrospective multicenter study was to evaluate the outcome of distal anterior cerebral artery (DACA) aneurysms and to determine the incidence, causes, and consequences of unfavorable outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  43 patients with 50 DACA aneurysms (27 females and 16 males, mean age 49 years) were studied retrospectively. Forty-four DACA aneurysms were treated surgically (83% with an interhemispheric approach), and 2 were embolized. At postoperative day 10, all patients underwent routine angiography. The outcome at 6 to 12 months was scored according to the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  35 DACA aneurysms were ruptured. Among the 26 "good"-grade patients (Hunt and Hess grades I through III), 18 (69.2%) were in GOS 1, 2 in GOS 2 (7.7%), 2 in GOS 3 (7.7%), and 4 in GOS 5 (15.4%); among the 9 "poor"-grade patients (Hunt and Hess grades IV and V), 1 (11.1%) was in GOS 1, 2 in GOS 2 (22.2%), 2 in GOS 3 (22.2%), and 4 in GOS 5 (44.5%). The initial intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) (40%) induced neurological aftereffects in 8 patients. An operative rupture occurred in 40%, with a temporary occlusion in 28.6% that was responsible for mediocre results in 3 patients (8.7%). A postoperative thrombosis was observed in 4 patients (11.4%) and an aneurysmal remnant in 1 (2.8%). Ten DACA unruptured aneurysms were clipped without operative rupture or thrombosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors suggest that the proportion of ruptured DACA aneurysms evolving to a GOS 1 or 2 was similar to that of aneurysms found in other locations, after early surgery. Endovascular treatment should be considered in the management of uncommon ruptured fusiform DACA aneurysms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Rouen University Hospital, France. Neurochirurgie@chu-rouen.fr
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Proust
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Toussaint
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hannequin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rabenenoïna
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Le Gars
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fréger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017542:Aneurysm, Ruptured / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000601:surgery; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome