title: Results of endovascular treatment of traumatic intracranial aneurysms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present results of early angiographic diagnosis and endovascular treatment of traumatic intracranial aneurysms (TICA).
  
  
  METHODS
  From June 2002 to December 2006, diagnostic angiography was performed on patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury that involved a cranial base fracture or a penetrating brain injury with a tract from the penetrating agent that entered at the pterional area, went through the middle cerebral artery candelabra, and crossed the midline. TICAs were treated by various endovascular techniques during the same angiographic procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-four patients with traumatic brain injury underwent angiography (25 penetrating brain injuries, nine blunt injuries); 13 TICAs were diagnosed (10 penetrating brain injuries, three blunt injuries). The Glasgow Coma Scale score at diagnosis ranged from 5 to 15. Angiography was performed for screening in eight patients and for clinical indications in five patients; 11 TICAs were diagnosed before rupture. Seven aneurysms were located on branches of the middle cerebral artery, two on pericallosal branches of the anterior cerebral artery, and four on the internal carotid artery. No recanalization was detected in 12 patients. One patient treated with a bare stent and coiling had a growing intracavernous pseudoaneurysm; therefore, internal carotid artery occlusion with extracranial-intracranial microvascular bypass was performed. Six patients refused angiographic follow-up, but computed tomographic angiography has failed to show recanalization. No patient presented with delayed bleeding (mean follow-up, 2.6 yr). There were no procedure-related complications or mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early angiographic diagnosis with immediate endovascular treatment provided an effective approach for TICA detection and management. Endovascular therapy is versatile and offers a valuable alternative to surgery, allowing early aneurysm exclusion with excellent results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Hadassah-Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel. jcohenns@yahoo.com
authors.forename: José E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gomori
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Segal
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spivak
authors.forename: Emil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Margolin
authors.forename: Gil
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sviri
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rajz
authors.forename: Shifra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fraifeld
authors.forename: Sergey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spektor
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult