Follow-up study on intra-aneurysmal embolization for unruptured cerebral aneurysms

Abstract

We describe follow-up clinical and angiographical results in patients with unruptured cerebral aneurysms treated with IDC or GDC. In 28 patients who underwent intra-aneurysmal occlusion for unruptured aneurysms, there were no permanent neurological deficits in the periprocedural period, while three transient neurological deficits were observed. On the angiograms obtained immediately after the procedure, complete aneurysmal occlusion was achieved in three patients (10.7%), a small neck remnant was detected in two cases (7.1%), a body filling in 12 cases (42.9%) and both of them were detected in 11 patients (39.3%). On the follow up angiograms (median angiographical follow-up period 15.6 months), 46.4% of incompletely obliterated aneurysms showed aneurysmal recanalization, and a incompletely embolized aneurysm ruptured 15 months after initial embolization. Detachable platinum coil embolization is a safe treatment for unruptured aneurysms with a lower incidence of peri-procedural morbidity, wheareas follow-up results are less satisfactory in cases involving incompletely obliterated lesions. With this limitation in mind, patients need to be very carefully chosen for GDC embolization and strict follow-up angiography is mandatory when a complete embolization is not achieved.