Size and Location of Ruptured Intracranial Aneurysms: A 5-Year Clinical Survey.
BACKGROUND
Prospective international cohort trials have suggested that incidental cerebral aneurysms with diameters less than 10 mm are unlikely to rupture. Consequently, small ruptured cerebral aneurysms should rarely be seen in clinical practice. To verify this theory, dimensions and locations of ruptured cerebral aneurysms were analyzed across the state of Tasmania, Australia.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed medical records and diagnostic tests of all patients admitted with ruptured cerebral aneurysms during a 5-year interval. Aneurysm location, maximum size, dome-to-neck ratio, volume, and presence of daughter sacs were determined by preoperative digital subtraction angiography or computed tomography angiography.


RESULTS
A total of 131 ruptured cerebral aneurysms were encountered and treated by microsurgical clipping (n = 59) or endovascular techniques (n = 72). The mean maximum aneurysm diameter was 6.4 ± 3.7 mm, dome-to-neck ratio 2 ± 0.8, aneurysm volume 156 ± 372 mm(3), and daughter sacs were present in 70 aneurysms (53.4%). The anterior communicating artery was the most common location (37.4%). Cumulative maximum diameters of ruptured aneurysms were ≤5 mm in 49%, ≤7 mm in 73%, and ≤10 mm in 90%.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite findings from prospective international cohort trials, small ruptured intracranial aneurysms are common in clinical practice. In consequence, it seems important to identify those patients with small but vulnerable unruptured aneurysms before conservative management is considered.
Department of Medical Imaging, Interventional Neuroradiology, Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart, Australia. Electronic address: jens.froelich@ths.tas.gov.au.
Jens J
JJ
Froelich
Department of Neurosurgery, Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart, Australia.
Sam
S
Neilson
Department of Neurosurgery, Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart, Australia.
Jens
J
Peters-Wilke
Department of Neurosurgery, Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart, Australia.
Arvind
A
Dubey
Department of Neurosurgery, Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart, Australia.
Nova
N
Thani
Department of Neurosurgery, Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart, Australia.
Albert
A
Erasmus
Department of Medical Imaging, Interventional Neuroradiology, Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart, Australia.
Michael W
MW
Carr
Department of Neurosurgery, Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart, Australia.
Andrew W M
AW
Hunn
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017542:Aneurysm, Ruptured / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D002533:Cerebral Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D000072226:Computed Tomography Angiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013648:Tasmania / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
Clipping; Coiling; Intracranial aneurysm; Rupture; Subarachnoid hemorrhage