Endovascular surgery using stents for vertebral artery dissecting aneurysms and a review of the literature.
The treatment of dissecting aneurysms of the vertebral artery (VA) involving the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) or presenting with hypoplasia of the contralateral VA is controversial. We describe our experience with 4 ruptured and 2 unruptured VA dissecting aneurysms and discuss the efficacy of endovascular surgery using stents. All patients were male; their mean age was 50.7 years. According to World Federation of Neurological Surgeons (WFNS) grading, 3 of the ruptured aneurysms were grade V, the other was grade I. All patients were successfully treated using stents; in 5 we also coil-embolized the aneurysmal lumen. One aneurysm was treated by the placement of 2 stents covering the dissection site; there was a danger of aneurysmal rupture during coil embolization. No technical complications were encountered although one patient suffered minor rebleeding 5 days post-treatment. Delayed vasospasm occurred in 4 cases. According to the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), at 3 months after treatment 2 patients had made a good recovery, one was moderately disabled, one suffered severe disability, and 2 had died. One death each was due to acute myocardial and brain stem infarction. Endovascular surgery using stents may be a useful treatment in patients in poor condition who manifest dissecting VA aneurysms involving the PICA or hypoplasia of the contralateral VA, especially in the acute period after rupture.
Suzuki
S
S
Department of Neurosurgery, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan. ssachio@med.kitasato-u.ac.jp
Kurata
A
A
Iwamoto
K
K
Sato
K
K
Niki
J
J
Miyazaki
T
T
Yamada
M
M
Oka
H
H
Fujii
K
K
Kan
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D020526:Brain Stem Infarctions / Q000453:epidemiology; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D023261:Glasgow Outcome Scale; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D019736:Prostheses and Implants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014474:Unconsciousness / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D020301:Vasospasm, Intracranial / Q000453:epidemiology; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D020217:Vertebral Artery Dissection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*