title: Validation of effectiveness of keyhole clipping in nonfrail elderly patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE Advanced age is known to be associated with a poor prognosis after surgical clipping of unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs). Keyhole clipping techniques have been introduced for less invasive treatment of UIAs. In this study, the authors compared the complications and clinical and radiological outcomes after keyhole clipping between nonfrail elderly patients (≥ 70 years) and nonelderly patients. METHODS Keyhole clipping (either supraorbital or pterional) was performed to treat 260 cases of relatively small (≤ 10 mm) anterior circulation UIAs. There were 62 cases in the nonfrail elderly group (mean age 72.9 ± 2.6 years [± SD]) and 198 cases in the nonelderly group (mean age 59.5 ± 7.6 years). The authors evaluated mortality and morbidity (modified Rankin Scale score > 2 or Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] score < 24) at 3 months and 1 year after the operation, the general cognitive function by MMSE at 3 months and 1 year, anxiety and depression by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) at 3 months, and radiological abnormalities and recurrence at 1 year. RESULTS Basic characteristics including comorbidities, frailty, and BDI and HAM-D scores were not significantly different between the 2 groups, whereas the MMSE score was slightly but significantly lower in the elderly group. Aneurysm location, largest diameter, type of keyhole surgery, neck clipping rate, and hospitalization period were not significantly different between the 2 groups. The incidence of chronic subdural hematoma was not significantly higher in the elderly group than in the nonelderly group (8.1% vs 4.5%, p = 0.332); rates of other complications including stroke and epilepsy were not significantly different. Lacunar infarction occurred in 3.2% of the elderly group and 3.0% of the nonelderly group. No patient in the elderly group required re-treatment or demonstrated recurrence of clipped aneurysms. The MMSE score at 3 months significantly improved in the nonelderly group but did not change in the elderly group. The BDI and HAM-D scores at 3 months were significantly improved in both groups. No patient died in either group. The morbidity at 3 months and 1 year in the elderly group (1.6% and 4.8%, respectively) was not significantly different from that in the nonelderly group (2.0% and 1.5%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Keyhole clipping for nonfrail elderly patients with relatively small anterior circulation UIAs did not significantly increase the complication, mortality, or morbidity rate; hospitalization period; or aneurysm recurrence compared with nonelderly patients, and it was associated with improvement in anxiety and depression. Keyhole clipping to treat UIAs in the nonfrail elderly is an effective and long-lasting treatment.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Neurosurgery, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Saitama.
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Neurosurgery, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Saitama.
authors.forename: Kojiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Neurosurgery, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Saitama.
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Otani
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Neurosurgery, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Saitama.
authors.forename: Arata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tomiyama
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Neurosurgery, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Saitama.
authors.forename: Terushige
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toyooka
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Neurosurgery, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Saitama.
authors.forename: Kazuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Neurosurgery, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Saitama.
authors.forename: Kosuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kumagai
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Neurosurgery, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Saitama.
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Neurosurgery, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Saitama.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tomura
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Neurosurgery, Juntendo University, Shizuoka Hospital, Izunokuni, Shizuoka; and.
authors.forename: Takuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Neurosurgery, Juntendo University, Shizuoka Hospital, Izunokuni, Shizuoka; and.
authors.forename: Yasuaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.affiliation: 3Department of Neurosurgery, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arai
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: BDI = Beck Depression Inventory; CSDH = chronic subdural hematoma; HAM-D = Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression; HDS-R = Hasegawa's dementia scale–revised; ISUIA = International Study of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms; KPS = Karnofsky Performance Status; MMSE = Mini–Mental State Examination; NIHSS = National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale; UIA = unruptured intracranial aneurysms; elderly; frailty; keyhole clipping; mFI = Canadian Study of Health and Aging Modified Frailty Index; mRS = modified Rankin Scale; outcome; unruptured cerebral aneurysm; vascular disorders