title: Dual antiplatelet therapy plus postoperative heparin and dextran is safe and effective for reducing risk of embolic stroke during aneurysm coiling.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thromboembolic events represent a clinically significant cause of neurological morbidity during the endovascular management of cerebral aneurysms. We have implemented an anti-thromboembolic regimen consisting of pre- and postoperative dual antiplatelet therapy, as well as postoperative anticoagulation using heparin and dextran. The aims of our study were to examine the effect of this regimen on thromboembolic rates during elective aneurysm coiling, and to elucidate risk factors associated with the development of thromboembolic events in this setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent elective intracranial aneurysm coiling between January 2005 and February 2012. The primary outcome of interest was the occurrence of a clinically significant peri-procedural thromboembolic event. Secondary outcomes included the occurrence of a central nervous system (CNS) or systemic hemorrhage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, 312 patients underwent elective aneurysm coiling and six (2 %) thromboembolic events occurred; three (1 %) occurred in the group that received the anti-thromboembolic regimen (261 patients) and three (6 %) occurred in the group that did not receive the regimen (51 patients), resulting in a statistically significant difference (P = 0.024). Both the presence of a hypercoagulable state (P = 0.014) and the lack of the anti-thromboembolic regimen (P = 0.043) were significantly associated with the occurrence of a thromboembolic event.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides evidence that the regimen described here is safe and reduces thromboembolic complications during elective aneurysm coiling. Ours is likely the most aggressive regimen in the published literature and significantly reduced the rate of thromboembolism without any significant increase hemorrhagic complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Michigan, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Room 3552 TC, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-5338, USA, thowil@med.umich.edu.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Aditya S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Pandey
authors.forename: William R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Stetler
authors.forename: Matthew C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Giles
authors.forename: Neeraj
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chaudhary
authors.forename: Joseph J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gemmete
authors.forename: B Gregory
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002985:Clinical Protocols / Q000592:standards*; D003911:Dextrans / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006493:Heparin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000628:therapy*; D020766:Intracranial Embolism / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D003911:Dextrans; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D006493:Heparin