Cases Of Intracranial Aneurysms Research Articles

INTRACRANIAL ANEURYSMS IN CHILDREN - A NEW PERSPECTIVE

Introduction Intracranial aneurysms in children are very rare pathologic entities. (1200 cases presented in literature from 1939-2011). Material and Methods The authors present 51 cases of children (aged: 0-16) operated between January 1999 and December 2023 - 24 years in three neurosurgical centers: “Bagdasar Arseni” Emergency University Hospital (Bucharest), Sanador Clinical Hospital (Bucharest) and Timis County Emergency Hospital (Timisoara). We collected data from many children’s intracranial aneurysms cases because “Bagdasar-Arseni” Emergency University Hospital has the most important pediatric neurosurgical unit in the country. Regarding our series, pediatric aneurysms represent 6.14% (51 cases) of all operated intracranial aneurysms (765 cases). The mean age of the patients was 14.3 years. There were 29 boys (58.7%) and 22 girls (41.2%). The clinical features are dominated by headache (48 cases - 95.7%), neck stiffness (45 cases - 91.4%), vomiting (44 cases - 89.3%), focal neurological deficit (24 cases - 44.6%), an altered level of consciousness (17 cases - 36.1%), seizures (24 cases - 44.6%, fever (20 cases - 34%). The majority of patients were Hunt & Hess Il at admittance (27 cases, 53%). All neuroimagistic investigations were done in the first 48 hours (CT, DSA, MRI). Locations: anterior communicating artery aneurysms (20 cases, 36.1%), followed by middle cerebral artery aneurysms (15 cases, 25.5%) and internal carotid artery bifurcation aneurysms (9 cases, 19.1%) and so on. Many aneurysms were large and giant (18 cases - 31.9%). Microsurgery approach was performed in 48 cases (99.7%) and 3 case (4.4%) were endovascular approached. This represents a new vision because the actual endovascular way is extremely efficient and performant in occluding pediatric intracranial aneurysms. The Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) at six months postop. showed GR in 40 cases (78.5%), MD in 9 cases (17.2%), SD in 1 patient (2.1%) and (preoperative) death in 1 patient (2.1%). Conclusions Intracranial aneurysms in children are a very rare pathologic entity. Early microsurgical or endovascular approach is mandatory and has excellent results (good recovery).

Diagnostic and predictive value of radiomics-based machine learning for intracranial aneurysm rupture status: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Currently, the growing interest in radiomics within the clinical practice has prompted some researchers to differentiate the rupture status of intracranial aneurysm (IA) by developing radiomics-based machine learning models. However, systematic evidence supporting its performance remains scarce. The purpose of this meta-analysis and systematic review is to assess the diagnostic performance of radiomics-based machine learning for the early detection of IA rupture and to offer evidence-based recommendations for the application of radiomics in this area.PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched systematically up to March 2, 2024. The Radiomics Quality Score (RQS) was employed to assess the risk of bias in all included primary studies. We separately discussed the diagnostic or predictive performance of machine learning for IA rupture status based on task type (diagnosis or prediction).We finally included 15 original studies covering 9,111 IA cases. In the validation cohort, radiomics demonstrated a sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, diagnostic odds ratio, as well as SROC curve of 0.84 (95% CI: 0.76-0.90), 0.82 (95% CI: 0.77-0.86), 4.7 (95% CI: 3.7-5.8), 0.19 (95% CI: 0.13-0.29), and 24 (95% CI: 15-40), respectively, for the diagnostic task of aneurysm rupture status. Only 2 studies (3 models) addressed predictive tasks, with sensitivity and specificity ranging from 0.77 to 0.89 and from 0.69 to 0.87, respectively.Radiomics-based machine learning exhibits promising accuracy for early identification of IA rupture status, whereas evidence for its predictive capability is limited. Further research is needed to validate predictive models and provide insights for developing specialized strategies to prevent aneurysm rupture.

Genetically proxied liability to migraine and risk of intracranial aneurysm and subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Observational studies have reported inconsistent relationships between migraine and the risk of intracranial aneurysm and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). To determine whether genetic liability to migraine is associated with risk of intracranial aneurysm and aneurysmal SAH. This study was designed as a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Genetic associations with migraine were obtained from a large-scale meta-analysis of five population and clinic-based genome-wide association studies of migraine (102,084 cases and 771,257 controls of European ancestry). Genetic associations with intracranial aneurysm and SAH were obtained from a meta-analysis of 22 population-based genome-wide association studies (7495 cases and 71,934 controls of European ancestry). Findings were corroborated by sensitivity analyses and replicated in an independent sample of combined cases of intracranial aneurysm and SAH (3529 cases and 234,948 controls of Asian ancestry from the Biobank Japan and China Kadoorie Biobanks). In secondary analyses, we investigated the outcomes of extracranial aneurysm in the FinnGen and UK Biobank cohorts (up to 7466 combined cases of thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysm). Genetic liability to migraine was associated with increased risk of the combined outcome of unruptured intracranial aneurysm and SAH (odds ratio [OR] of outcome per doubling in migraine liability 1.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06-1.35; p = 0.005). This finding was replicated in an independent sample (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.02-1.30; p = 0.027), and there were similar associations across the component outcomes of unruptured intracranial aneurysm (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.01-1.42; p = 0.035) and SAH (OR 1.18, 95% 1.04-1.33; p = 0.008). These findings were consistent in sensitivity analyses robust to violations of the MR assumptions. In reverse MR analyses, genetic liability to intracranial aneurysm was not associated with migraine (OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.99-1.07; p = 0.141). In a secondary analysis, there were similar associations of genetic liability to migraine with all forms of aortic aneurysm (OR for combined thoracic and aortic aneurysm 1.18, 95% CI 1.10-1.27; p = 8.49 × 10-6). Genetic liability to migraine was associated with increased risk of intracranial and extracranial aneurysms, supporting a causal relationship between liability to migraine and these traits. Further work is needed to identify the biological mechanisms and clinical relevance of these findings.

Efficacy and safety of the contralateral approach to vascular lesions in the vertebral artery: patient series.

Endovascular treatment is preferred over microsurgical clipping for intracranial aneurysms in the posterior circulation. However, access to lesions, particularly those in the regions of the vertebral artery (VA) and the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA), is technically challenging in terms of the vessel diameter of the ipsilateral VA or the branching angle of the PICA. Nine cases of intracranial aneurysms in the region of the PICA, which were endovascularly treated with an approach beyond the vertebrobasilar junction (VBJ) from the contralateral VA in the last 4 years, are described herein. All procedures, namely stent deployment, the use of a balloon catheter, and coiling, were safely performed using the contralateral approach. Neither rebleeding nor ischemic complications occurred. All patients had favorable outcomes and no recurrence. All aneurysms were successfully treated using an adjunctive technique with an additional approach beyond the VBJ from the contralateral VA. The combination of both ipsilateral and contralateral approaches to VA-PICA or PICA lesions contributes to safe and effective endovascular treatment. https://thejns.org/doi/10.3171/CASE24420.

Concurrent meningioma and intracranial aneurysm: Insights from an updated systematic review and a case report

Background: The concurrent presentation of meningioma and intracranial aneurysm (IA) poses diagnostic and therapeutic challenges, with no standardized management protocol available. This study aims to address this through an updated systematic review, delineating optimal strategies for managing this dual pathology. Methods: A systematic review was conducted across PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases. Articles were screened independently by two reviewers. Treatment strategies and patient outcomes were comprehensively analyzed to formulate a treatment framework based on several characteristics. In addition, one concurrent meningioma and IA case from our institution was presented. Results: A total of 69 articles comprising 115 patients were included in the study. The cohort exhibited a female predominance (80%) with a mean age of 56 (±13) years. Meningiomas were primarily localized to the frontotemporal and sellar regions, while aneurysms favored the anterior circulation – notably, 16.5% of cases presented with ruptured aneurysms. Management strategies varied based on the spatial relationship between lesions and aneurysm rupture status. In unruptured cases, 34% underwent a single craniotomy for simultaneous resection of both pathologies, while endovascular intervention was favored when the IA originated from an artery feeding the meningioma (73%). Remarkably, postoperative aneurysm rupture occurred in 33% of cases managed solely through tumor resection (range 0–30 days postop). Conclusion: This study proposes a comprehensive treatment algorithm to guide neurosurgeons in managing concurrent meningioma and IA cases. By considering individual patient intricacies, the feasibility of simultaneous management, aneurysm rupture risk, and symptomatology, this framework is a valuable tool for clinical decision-making in these complex scenarios.

Does it stable? Intracranial aneurysm wall enhancement might be the warning signals: a meta-analysis of observational studies.

Magnetic resonance vessel wall imaging (MR-VWI) is an emerging imaging technology used to assess the progressive risk of unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs). Unlike the standard evaluation model, MR-VWI is still debatable. This study aims to further define the potential relationship between aneurysm wall enhancement (AWE) and aneurysm stability. Using "intracranial aneurysm", "magnetic resonance", and "enhancement" as keywords, relevant studies were systematically searched in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane, and the qualified studies were enrolled for further analysis. There were 13 case-control studies, 4 cohort studies, and 2,678 cases of intracranial aneurysms included in the meta-analysis. It was shown that AWE was correlated with intracranial aneurysm rupture (OR = 35.90, 95% CI: 15.58 to 82.75, p < 0.001), growth (OR = 6.69, 95% CI: 2.69 to 16.63, p < 0.001), and presence of symptoms (OR = 14.46, 95% CI: 9.07 to 23.05, p < 0.001). This finding had a high diagnostic value, but the correlation was probably not independent of aneurysm size. The pooled relative risks of the follow-up studies revealed that the risk of UIA progression was approximately 3.33 times higher with AWE than without AWE (RR = 3.33, 95% CI: 2.33 to 4.78, p < 0.001). In addition, the pooled results demonstrated that quantitative indices of VWI enhancement were equally linked with aneurysm stability (OR = 19.61, 95% CI: 10.63 to 36.17, p < 0.001). AWE is an effective imaging method to assess the stability of UIAs, and it can be a marker for the prophylactic treatment of small unruptured intracranial aneurysms in the future, which remains to be validated by prospective studies with large samples.

From conservative to interventional management in unruptured intracranial aneurysms.

Indication for treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) is based on several factors, such as patient age, previous medical history, and UIA location and size. For patients harboring UIAs initially managed noninvasively, the treatment strategy during follow-up (FU) can be changed to include surgical or endovascular intervention. This study aims to identify characteristic patterns and potential predictors of UIAs that require revision of the initial management strategy. The authors identified intracranial aneurysm (IA) cases newly diagnosed between 2006 and 2022 and initially assigned conservative management. These cases were retrospectively reviewed for 1) patient and UIA characteristics at the time of diagnosis (patient age, comorbidities, previous medical history, potential risk factors, as well as UIA angioarchitecture, location, and size), and 2) any changes in treatment strategy (reason for change, time until intervention, modality of intervention). Among 1041 IA cases diagnosed in the study period, 144 were initially assigned conservative management. In 10 (6.9%) of these 144 cases, the treatment indication was modified to microsurgical clipping (n = 6) or endovascular embolization (n = 4) after a median FU of 26 months (IQR 8.5-64.5 months). In these 10 cases, the indication for intervention was attributable to IA growth (n = 7), a change in IA configuration (n = 2), or both (n = 1). Exploratory analyses of the effects of UIA size on diagnosis in terms of the hazard for a change of decision suggested an effect starting from 3 mm. No conservatively managed UIAs (n = 144) ruptured during the study period (median FU 24.5 months, IQR 7.75-55.75 months). The likelihood of a shift to invasive UIA treatment is relatively low if a conservative therapeutic strategy was initially established. However, for cases with changes to the treatment strategy, the change is most often attributable to UIA growth over time. UIAs measuring < 3 mm at initial diagnosis are less likely to be later treated interventionally than those > 3 mm at diagnosis. Therefore, conservatively managed patients with UIAs should be closely monitored with regular radiographic FUs, particularly if the UIA measured > 3 mm at the time of diagnosis.

Clinical relevance of critical plasma homocysteine levels in predicting rupture risk for small and medium-sized intracranial aneurysms

Plasma homocysteine (Hcy) has been globally recognized as an independent risk factor for various neurovascular diseases. In this study, the authors investigated the relationship between critical Hcy concentration and the risk of rupture in intracranial aneurysms (IAs). This study collected data from 423 patients with both ruptured and unruptured IAs. We compared demographic data, vascular rupture risk factors, and laboratory test results between the two groups. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to determine the correlation between critical plasma Hcy levels and the risk of rupture in small to medium-sized IAs. A total of 330 cases of ruptured intracranial aneurysms (RIA) and 93 cases of unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIA) were included. Univariate analysis revealed statistically significant differences between the ruptured and unruptured groups in terms of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, plasma Hcy levels, and IA morphology (all P < 0.05). Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that hypertension (odds ratio [OR] 0.504; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.279–0.911; P = 0.023), hyperlipidemia (OR 1.924; 95% CI 1.079–3.429; P = 0.027), and plasma Hcy levels (OR 1.420; 95% CI 1.277–1.578; P < 0.001) were independently associated with the rupture of small to medium-sized IAs, all with statistical significance (P < 0.05). Our study suggests that critical plasma Hcy levels are an independent risk factor for increased rupture risk in small to medium-sized intracranial aneurysms. Therefore, reducing plasma Hcy levels may be considered a valuable strategy to mitigate the risk of intracranial vascular abnormalities rupture and improve patient prognosis.

Clinical application of transcranial neuroendoscopy combined with supraorbital keyhole approach in minimally invasive surgery of the anterior skull base

To explore the techniques, safety, and feasibility of minimally invasive neurosurgery through the supraorbital eyebrow arch keyhole approach by neuroendoscopy. Retrospective analysis of clinical data of patients with various cranial diseases treated by transcranial neuroendoscopic supraorbital eyebrow keyhole approach in our hospital from March 2021 to October 2023. A total of 39 complete cases were collected, including 21 cases of intracranial aneurysms, 9 cases of intracranial space occupying lesions, 5 cases of brain trauma, 3 cases of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea, and 1 case of cerebral hemorrhage. All patients’ surgeries were successful. The good prognosis rate of intracranial aneurysms was 17/21 (81%), and the symptom improvement rate of intracranial space occupying lesions was 8/9 (88.9%). Among them, the initial symptoms of one patient with no improvement were not related to space occupying, while the total effective rate of the other three types of patients was 9/9 (100%). The average length of the craniotomy bone window of the supraorbital eyebrow arch keyhole is 3.77 ± 0.31 cm, and the average width is 2.53 ± 0.23 cm. The average postoperative hospital stay was 14.77 ± 6.59 days. The average clearance rate of hematoma by neuroendoscopy is 95.00% ± 1.51%. Our results indicate that endoscopic surgery through the supraorbital eyebrow arch keyhole approach is safe and effective for the treatment of anterior skull base lesions and cerebral hemorrhage. However, this retrospective study is a single center, small sample study, and the good surgical results do not exclude the subjective screening of suitable patients by clinical surgeons, which may have some bias. Although the clinical characteristics such as indications and contraindications of this surgical method still require further prospective and multicenter clinical research validation, our study still provides a new approach and choice for minimally invasive surgical treatment of anterior skull base lesions.

Verification of a simplified aneurysm dimensionless flow parameter to predict intracranial aneurysm rupture status.

Aneurysm number (An) is a novel prediction tool utilizing parameters of pulsatility index (PI) and aneurysm geometry. An has been shown to have the potential to differentiate intracranial aneurysm (IA) rupture status. The objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility and accuracy of An for IA rupture status prediction using Australian based clinical data. A retrospective study was conducted across three tertiary referral hospitals between November 2017 and November 2020 and all saccular IAs with known rupture status were included. Two sets of An values were calculated based on two sets of PI values previously reported in the literature. Five hundred and four IA cases were included in this study. The results demonstrated no significant difference between ruptured and unruptured status when using An ≥1 as the discriminator. Further analysis showed no strong correlation between An and IA subtypes. The area under the curve (AUC) indicated poor performance in predicting rupture status (AUC1 = 0.55 and AUC2 = 0.56). This study does not support An ≥1 as a reliable parameter to predict the rupture status of IAs based on a retrospective cohort. Although the concept of An is supported by hemodynamic aneurysm theory, further research is needed before it can be applied in the clinical setting. This study demonstrates that the novel prediction tool, An, proposed in 2020 is not reliable and that further research of this hemodynamic model is needed before it can be incorporated into the prediction of IA rupture status.

Intracranial Aneurysms in Makassar, Indonesia: Unveiling Rupture Risk Characteristics

Intracranial Aneurysms in Makassar, Indonesia: Unveiling Rupture Risk Characteristics

Sacrificing Internal Carotid Artery-External Carotid Artery-Radial Artery-Middle Cerebral Artery Bypass for the Treatment of Complex Intracranial Artery Cavernous Sinus Aneurysms.

The treatment of complex intracranial aneurysms has always been a great challenge in neurosurgery. Craniotomy has a high risk of clipping, there is a risk of rupture at any time, endovascular embolization is relatively low risk, but expensive and easy to relapse, the best treatment needs to be further discussed. Cavernous sinus aneurysms with pituitary adenomas are rare. This case reports a case of complex intracranial aneurysms. Chief complaints are: (1) blepharoptosis with blurred vision for 1 year, (2) headache for 3 days, and (3) digital subtraction angiography showed right internal carotid artery cavernous sinus aneurysm. Combined with the patient's condition and family condition, the external carotid artery-radial artery-middle cerebral artery bypass was selected. After surgical treatment, the symptoms of the patients were improved, the postoperative recovery was good, and the condition was stable. After follow-up, the patient's brain computed tomography showed intra-aneurysm thrombosis.

Pediatric infectious aneurysms: individual patient pooled analysis on presentation, management and outcomes

BackgroundInfectious intracranial aneurysms (IIAs) are a rare sequel of systemic infection and occur most commonly in patients with infective endocarditis (IE). Despite the increasing use of non-invasive screening angiography in...

Spontaneous thrombosis of unruptured berry aneurysm presenting as facial palsy

Spontaneous thrombosis of saccular unruptured intracranial aneurysm (UIAs) is a known occurrence in giant aneurysms. However, spontaneous complete or partial thrombosis of non-giant aneurysms is a rare event in the natural history of UIAs that can be discovered incidentally on advanced neuroradiologic studies. They occasionally present with ischemic stroke, which is rare entity. Parent artery occlusion due to local extension of the luminal thrombus, aneurysms ejecting emboli to distal arteries, or increased mass effect have been described as possible pathogenic mechanisms. Guidelines for the management of these patients were limited. We present a documented case of this unusual entity a case of non-giant intracranial aneurysm with spontaneous thrombosis presenting as Upper motor neuron type of facial palsy due to acute ischemic stroke.

Index cases of intracranial aneurysms in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease: longitudinal experience from a single renal transplantation center

Index cases of intracranial aneurysms in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease: longitudinal experience from a single renal transplantation center

Clipping and coiling of intracranial aneurysms in the elderly patients: clinical features and treatment outcomes.

In recent years, more and more cases of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) have been found in elderly patients, and neurosurgical interventions have increased, but there is still no consensus on the best treatment strategy for elderly patients. In elderly patients, endovascular coiling (EC) is more popular than surgical clipping (SC) due to its advantages of less trauma and faster recovery. However, SC has made great progress in recent years, significantly improving the prognosis of elderly patients. Therefore, it is necessary to further explore the effects of different treatment modalities on clinical prognosis, hospital stay, and hospital cost of elderly IA patients, and select the most appropriate treatment modalities. The authors retrospectively analyzed 767 patients with intracranial aneurysms admitted to the facility between August 2017 and December 2022. Prognostic risk factors and multivariate logistic regression were analyzed for elderly patients treated with EC or SC. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to calculate the predictive power of each independent predictor between the treatment groups. Our study included 767 patients with aneurysms, of whom 348 (45.4%) were elderly, 176 (22.9%) underwent endovascular coiling, and 172 (22.4%) underwent microsurgical clipping. A comparison of elderly patients treated with EC and SC showed a higher prevalence of hypertension in the EC group (P = 0.011) and a higher Hunt-Hess score on admission in the SC group (P = 0.010). Patients in the EC group had shorter hospital stays but higher costs (P = 0.000 and P = 0.000, respectively). Patients treated with SC had a higher incidence of postoperative cerebral infarction and poor prognosis (P = 0.002 and P = 0.008, respectively). Through multi-factor logistic analysis, it was found that age (OR 1.209, 95% CI 1.047-1.397, P = 0.010), length of stay (LOS) (OR 1.160, 95 CI% 1.041-1.289, P = 0.007), and complications (OR 31.873, 95 CI% 11.677-320.701, P = 0.000) was an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in elderly patients with EC. In elderly patients treated with SC, age (OR 1.105, 95% CI 1.010-1.209, P = 0.029) was an independent risk factor for poor prognosis. EC and SC interventions in elderly adults carry higher risks compared to non-older adults, and people should consider these risks and costs when making a decision between intervention and conservative treatment. In elderly patients who received EC or SC treatments, EC showed an advantage in improving outcomes in elderly patients although it increased the economic cost of the patient's hospitalization.

Abstract 180: A Prospective, Single‐Center Study Appraising Aneurysm Embolization using the Balt Optima™ Coil System (APPLY Study)

Introduction Intracranial aneurysms, both ruptured and unruptured, pose a significant risk to the general population. Cases of unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIA) are estimated to affect roughly 3% of the general population and aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) have an incidence of 8 to 9 people per 100,000. With the advancement of endovascular coil devices, aneurysm embolization with coiling is becoming the more preferred treatment approach compared to craniotomy with microsurgical clipping. The purpose of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of endovascular coiling using the novel Balt Optima™ Coil System. Methods This study was an investigator‐initiated, prospective, real‐world, single‐center, post‐market study conducted in Thousand Oaks, California. Between 2020 and 2023, thirty cerebral aneurysms were treated with at least 80% utilization of the Balt Optima™ Coil System. The subjects were followed for 6 months (‐4 months/+6 months). Data points were obtained at baseline, procedure, discharge or postoperative day 7, and 6 months follow‐up (‐4 months/+6 months). Primary outcomes were functional status recorded as modified Rankin scores (mRS) and radiographic occlusion rates documented as Raymond‐Roy scores. Serious adverse events including, but not limited to, groin hematoma, periprocedural stroke, intraoperative aneurysm rupture, coil herniation requiring stent placement, and mortality were recorded. Secondary outcomes included coil packing densities, minor complications, procedure duration, disposition after hospitalization, and antithrombotic medication adjustments. Results 30 intracranial aneurysms in 29 individual subjects were included in the study and were treated by a total of 4 neurointerventionalists with at least 80% use of the Balt Optima™ Coil System. One subject had two aneurysms which were treated at two separate occasions, and the subject was consented for both aneurysms to be included in the study. 60% of aneurysms were located along the right anterior circulation and vessels involved mirrored epidemiological data in the literature. 83% of subjects were female, and 50% of aneurysms presented as ruptured. All subjects had a baseline mRS 0‐2. 83% of aneurysms were treated with utilization of an assist device as well. At 6 months follow‐up (‐4 months/+6 months), 80% of subjects had mRS 0‐2. Of the 21 patients with 6 month (‐4 months/+6 months) follow‐up imaging, 15 (71%) had complete aneurysm occlusion (Raymond‐Roy score of 1) and 6 (29%) patients had residual aneurysm neck filling (Raymond‐Roy score of 2). One subject (3%) expired during the hospitalization due to complications unrelated to the aneurysm or coil system, and one subject (3%) was lost to follow‐up. One subject (3%) developed a groin hematoma, one subject (3%) had an intraoperative rupture with no significant clinical consequence, and two subjects (7%) experienced coil herniation requiring stent placement with no clinical sequelae. No subjects (0%) had periprocedural strokes. Conclusion This study demonstrates that the Balt Optima™ Coil System is safe and effective for endovascular treatment of both unruptured and ruptured intracranial aneurysms. Additional data is needed to validate these results and compare to other coil devices on the market.

A cases series of endovascular and microsurgical combined treatment of intracranial aneurysms.

Our scientific paper is aimed at describing multimodal treatment of intracranial aneurysms represented by microsurgery and endovascular therapy. We report four cases of intracranial aneurysms treated in our Department of Neurosurgery by microsurgery (clipping) and endovascular treatment (coiling), through the joint efforts of a team of highly skilled neurosurgeons. Mixed treatment has been imposed by the complications we were presented with, resulting from either of the two surgical methods employed. Although endovascular surgery is considered a newer treatment method, favored by many practitioners, and preferred by patients, there are situations where open surgery is still required. There are certain situations were using one of the surgical methods fails and a complementary procedure is required for a secure and successful treatment. The cases reported here will demonstrate the utility of combining the two procedures.

Increased PDGFRB and NF-κB signaling caused by highly prevalent somatic mutations in intracranial aneurysms.

Intracranial aneurysms (IAs) are a high-risk factor for life-threatening subarachnoid hemorrhage. Their etiology, however, remains mostly unknown at present. We conducted screening for sporadic somatic mutations in 65 IA tissues (54 saccular and 11 fusiform aneurysms) and paired blood samples by whole-exome and targeted deep sequencing. We identified sporadic mutations in multiple signaling genes and examined their impact on downstream signaling pathways and gene expression in vitro and an arterial dilatation model in mice in vivo. We identified 16 genes that were mutated in at least one IA case and found that these mutations were highly prevalent (92%: 60 of 65 IAs) among all IA cases examined. In particular, mutations in six genes (PDGFRB, AHNAK, OBSCN, RBM10, CACNA1E, and OR5P3), many of which are linked to NF-κB signaling, were found in both fusiform and saccular IAs at a high prevalence (43% of all IA cases examined). We found that mutant PDGFRBs constitutively activated ERK and NF-κB signaling, enhanced cell motility, and induced inflammation-related gene expression in vitro. Spatial transcriptomics also detected similar changes in vessels from patients with IA. Furthermore, virus-mediated overexpression of a mutant PDGFRB induced a fusiform-like dilatation of the basilar artery in mice, which was blocked by systemic administration of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib. Collectively, this study reveals a high prevalence of somatic mutations in NF-κB signaling pathway-related genes in both fusiform and saccular IAs and opens a new avenue of research for developing pharmacological interventions.

Assessment of morphometric parameters of middle cerebral artery using CT angiography in a tertiary care hospital.

Middle cerebral artery (MCA) favors secondaries and emboli deposition. Also, with an increase in incidence of MCA aneurysms, majorly at the M1 division point, actual standardized measurement of MCA is necessary. Thus, main aim of the study is assessment of the MCA morphometry using CT Angiography in Indian population. CT cerebral Angiography datasets of 289 patients (180 males and 109 females) were assessed for the MCA morphometry (Average age - 49.29 ± 16.16years, Range- 11 to 85years). The cases involving aneurysms and infarcts were excluded. The total length of MCA, length of M1 segment and diameter were measured and the results were statistically analysed. The mean total length of MCA, length of M1 segment and diameter were 24.02 ± 1.22mm, 14.32 ± 1.27mm, 3.33 ± 0.62mm, respectively. The mean length of M1 segment on the right and left sides was 14.19 ± 1.39mm and 14.44 ± 1.12mm, respectively and the difference was statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05). The mean diameter on the right and left sides was 3.32 ± 0.62mm and 3.33 ± 0.62mm, respectively and the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.832). The M1 segment length was maximum in patients over 60years and diameter was maximum in young patients (20-40years). The mean length of M1 segment in early bifurcation (4.4 ± 0.65mm), bifurcation (14.32 ± 1.27mm) and trifurcation (14.15 ± 1.43mm) was also noted. The MCA measurements will be useful for surgeons to minimize errors in handling cases of intracranial aneurysms or infarcts and provide the best possible outcome to the patients.