Microsurgical clipping of multiple cerebral aneurysms in the acute phase of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage through a minipterional approach: The Chilean experience.

OBJECTIVE: The minipterional craniotomy (MPTc) has been widely accepted as a minimally invasive alternative to the pterional approach for the treatment of certain small non-ruptured anterior circulation aneurysms. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness and safety of the MPTc in the context of a complex and potentially harmful scenario: acute onset of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in patients harboring multiple intracranial aneurysms (MIA). METHODS: Patients harboring MIA clipped through a unilateral MPTc were selected from four retrospective databases of four high-volume neurosurgical centers. Patients with a Hunt & Hess score 4 or 5 were not considered candidates for clipping through a MPTc. Medical records and radiological images were retrospectively reviewed. Epidemiological, clinical and radiological data, as well as short-term outcome (modified Rankin scale at 6 month-follow-up) were analyzed. RESULTS: 16 patients harboring 33 aneurysms (16 ruptured, 17 non ruptured) met the inclusion criteria. Each aneurysm size was 5.7 ± 2.1 mm (range 3-11). 12 out of 33 aneurysms were located in the middle cerebral artery (MCA). Anterior communicating (ACom) and MCA aneurysms were the aneurysm locations most commonly ruptured (5 each, 62 %). Complete occlusion was achieved in 32 aneurysms (97 %) and near-complete occlusion in 1 (3%). 13 patients (93 %) were independent at 6 month-follow-up. Mortality rate was 0%. Complications included 1 cerebrospinal-fluid leakage. CONCLUSION: When indicated (Hunt Hess < 4), performing a MPTc is safe and effective in aSAH cases with multiple aneurysms.

Extradural minipterional approach: Evolving indications of the minipterional craniotomy.

BACKGROUND: In this paper, we report a clinical series of skull base lesions operated on trough the MiniPT, extending its application to skull base lesions, either using the classical minipterional or a variant, we call extradural minipterional approach (MiniPTEx). METHODS: We describe our surgical technique of operating on complex skull base lesions using a minipterional extradural approach. Anterior clinoidectomy, middle fossa peeling, transcavernous, and Kawase approaches were performed as needed. In total, we carried out 24 surgeries: three skull base tumors, 1 Moyamoya case, and 20 giant/complex intracranial aneurysms. All the patients present good neurological result (mRs < 3). Only two patients had paralysis of any cranial nerve and only one patient had a mild hemiparesis. RESULTS: This surgery series there are 24 cases, 10 patients were treated with exclusive MiniPT. MiniPT extradural approach was made in 14 patients. Twelve were treated using pure MiniPTEx approach, 1 patient using transcavernous approach, and in 1 patient, the anterior clinoid was resected with the combination of a MiniPT, a medium fossa peeling, and the Kawase anterior petrosectomy for skull base surgery. CONCLUSION: We further advance the indications of the MiniPT by extending it to operate on the cranial base tumors or complex vascular lesions without additional morbidity. MiniPT approach may be safely associated with skull base techniques, including anterior and posterior clinoidectomies, peeling of the middle fossa, transcavernous approach, and anterior petrosectomy. The versatility of the MiniPT craniotomy and the feasibility of performing skull base surgery through the MiniPT technique have been demonstrated in this paper.

The extradural minipterional approach for the treatment of paraclinoid aneurysms: a cadaver stepwise dissection and clinical case series.

Minipterional (MPT) craniotomy has recently been added to the neurosurgical armamentarium as a less invasive alternative to the pterional craniotomy for the treatment of parasellar lesions. However, its clinical applicability in the treatment of certain complex aneurysms, such as those arising in the paraclinoid region, remains unclear. To illustrate the microsurgical anatomy of a modified extradural MPT approach, which combines a classic MPT craniotomy with an extradural anterior clinoidectomy, and to demonstrate its clinical applicability in the treatment of complex paraclinoid aneurysms. A stepwise extradural MPT approach is illustrated in a cadaver study. Clinical outcome data from a series of 19 patients with 20 paraclinoid aneurysms treated surgically using the extradural MPT approach between 2016 and 2018 were retrospectively collected. In 95% of the cases, complete aneurysm occlusion was achieved. No aneurysm recurrences were seen during follow-up with a median length of 21 months. The outcome, according to the modified Rankin Scale, was 0 points in 12 patients (63%), 1 point in 6 patients (32%), and 2 points in 1 patient (5%). Four out of 6 patients (67%) with initial visual symptoms showed improvement following treatment, whereas in two (11%), vision became worse. The extradural MPT approach ensures a sufficiently large exposure of the paraclinoid region that is comparable with conventional approaches with the advantage of being minimally invasive. Our case series demonstrates the feasibility of this approach for the treatment of complex paraclinoid aneurysms.

Seguridad del tratamiento quirúrgico en aneurismas cerebrales no rotos, en la región de Coquimbo, Chile / Safety of surgical treatment in unruptured cerebral aneurysms, in the region of Coquimbo, Chile

Introducción: El tratamiento microquirúrgico de los aneurismas cerebrales no rotos, ha demostrado ser seguro en distintas series, la indicación quirúrgica en estos casos es discutible y generalmente esta en relación a su riesgo de sangrado por características morfológicas y ubicación del aneurisma. Este trabajo tiene como objetivo, determinar si en nuestra región, el tratamiento microquirúrgico de los aneurismas cerebrales no rotos es seguro y así poder dar una recomendación de tratamiento a nuestros pacientes. Materiales y métodos: Treinta y un pacientes, 33 aneurismas cerebrales no rotos fueron tratados, En clínica Elqui y Hospital San Pablo de la Región de Coquimbo, entre mayo del 2017 y marzo del 2019, se hizo un seguimiento al total de los pacientes y se evaluó su resultado neurológico según la escala de Rankin modificado. Resultado: 97% de los pacientes obtuvieron un resultado neurológico favorable (Rankin < 3), solo un 3% de los pacientes, un caso, obtuvo un resultado desfavorable (Rankin > 2). Conclusión: El tratamiento microquirúrgico de los aneurismas cerebrales no rotos en nuestra región es seguro, obteniendo una muy baja morbilidad y 0% de mortalidad

Introduction: The microsurgical treatment of unruptured cerebral aneurysms has been shown to be safe in different series, the surgical indication in these cases is debatable and is generally related to the risk of bleeding due to morphological characteristics and location of the aneurysm. The objective of this work is to determine if in our region the microsurgical treatment of unruptured cerebral aneurysms is safe and thus be able to give a recommendation of treatment to our patients. Materials and methods: 31 patients, 33 unruptured cerebral aneurysms were treated. At the Elqui clinic and San Pablo Hospital in the Coquimbo Region, between may 2017 and March 2019, the total number of patients was monitored and their Neurological outcome according to the modified Rankin scale. Result: 97% of the patients obtained a favorable neurological outcome (Rankin <3), only 3% of the patients, one case, obtained an unfavorable outcome (Rankin> 2). Conclusion: The microsurgical treatment of unruptured cerebral aneurysms in our region is safe, obtaining a very low morbidity and 0% mortality