Long-term angiographic follow-up of 169 intracranial berry aneurysms occluded with detachable coils

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the stability of aneurysm occlusion at follow-up angiography after endovascular treatment (EVT) with detachable coils in intracranial berry aneurysms.

Materials and methods: A total of 203 berry aneurysms (< 1.5 cm) were treated with EVT. Follow-up angiography at least 3 months later was performed in 169 cases.

Results: Complete occlusion of the aneurysm sac and neck was achieved in 148 aneurysms, subtotal occlusion in 18, and incomplete occlusion in three. Recurrence occurred between 3 and 40 months in 20 (14%) of the 148 totally occluded aneurysms. A second treatment was performed in five cases, was scheduled in one, and failed in one. The small neck remnant increased in size but did not require any retreatment in three cases, and the size of the neck remnant remained stable in 10 cases. Remnant regrowth occurred in six of the 18 subtotally occluded aneurysms. A second treatment was performed in three. Of the 169 cases, last follow-up angiography showed total occlusion in 133 cases, subtotal in 30, and incomplete in six. No rebleeding occurred.

Conclusion: A very small recurrence may be observed at the level of the neck of the aneurysm at long-term follow-up angiography despite achieving total occlusion initially with detachable coils.