title: Endovascular management of vertebrobasilar artery dissecting aneurysms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The prognosis of VBA aneurysms seems poor and surgical management of VBA dissecting aneurysms is challenging. We evaluated our endovascular experience in management of ruptured and unruptured VBA dissecting aneurysms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven consecutive patients with eleven VBA aneurysms (3 ruptured and 8 unruptured) between 2008 and 2010 were retrospectively reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immediate postprocedural angiograms showed complete occlusion in 5 and subtotal occlusion in 2 aneurysms treated with stentassisted coiling, whereas no occlusion in 4 aneurysms treated with stenting alone. A clinical improvement or stable outcome was achieved in all patients. There was no complication in our patients and no patient died after treatment. Angiographic follow-up (mean 9.7 months, 1 to 23 months) showed complete cure in 8 aneurysms, subtotal occlusion in 2 and no occlusion in 1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VBA dissecting aneurysms can be managed by endovascular stent placement with or without coiling. In cases that cannot be treated with neurostents, proximal occlusion could be an option.
authors.affiliation: China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Department of Neurosurgery, Changchun, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Jinsuo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Zhaohui
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Dongsong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Shuwei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D017542:Aneurysm, Ruptured / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020217:Vertebral Artery Dissection / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult