Contralateral Clipping of Multiple Intracranial Aneurysms

Abstract

The reported incidence of multiple intracranial aneurysms (MIA) is approximately 7-35% of all intracranial aneurysms. The primary goal in the management of MIAs is to secure the ruptured aneurysm and to treat as many of the remaining lesions as possible without affecting the outcome of the patient. In recent era endovascular treatment is the preferred treatment of multiple bilateral intracranial aneurysms if all aneurysms are amenable to addressed in single stage. But most often all aneurysms were not possible to addressed due to complexity of different aneurysms, technical limitation and infrastructure. In such scenarios options left were two stage sequential craniotomy on either sides and clipping of bilateral aneurysms or unilateral craniotomy and clipping of bilateral MIA. Bilateral two stage surgery or two stage endovascular treatment caries risk of bleeding from one of the untreated aneurysms, morbidity due to two stage and increase the cost of treatment. In properly selected cases of unilateral craniotomy and clipping of bilateral MIA secure the all aneurysm in one stage and decreased morbidity and cost of treatment. When patient selection done meticulously, clipping of MIA including contralateral side aneurysms is feasible and safe.