Treatment of ruptured aneurysms of the choroidal collateral system in moyamoya disease: a systematic review and data analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a chronic, progressive steno-occlusive condition of the distal internal carotid arteries of unknown etiology. Collateral arterial networks typically develop in MMD, bypassing the steno-occlusion. Aneurysms arising on the collateral networks are a known source of hemorrhage. The choroidal collateral system is the most common location for collateral pathway aneurysms in MMD and associated hemorrhage. The authors performed data collection and analysis to further elucidate the best treatment approaches for ruptured aneurysms of the choroidal collateral system in MMD, which as yet remain unclear. METHODS: A comprehensive data collection and analysis of case reports and case series with ruptured choroidal collateral artery aneurysms (CCAAs) was performed. PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews were followed and the Medline, Embase, and Scopus databases were searched for relevant studies. A database was created including patients with ruptured CCAA in MMD. Original data from case series were included whenever possible. A previously unreported case of a ruptured choroidal artery aneurysm in MMD treated by the authors was also included. RESULTS: The database comprised 72 patients with ruptured CCAA in MMD. The most common clinical symptoms were headache, nausea, and vomiting (39%). Initially, a conservative treatment approach was chosen in 29% of cases but led to rehemorrhage in 40% of cases; 63% of these rehemorrhages occurred during the first 35 days. Endovascular treatment seemed a safe option for aneurysm exclusion, mainly through parent vessel sacrifice, but had a treatment failure rate of 21%, due to inadequate access. Aneurysm treatment with revascularization as the initial treatment strategy led to aneurysm regression in 82% with no reported rehemorrhage. Aneurysm exclusion through open surgery was effective but was associated with a relatively high complication rate (25%). Outcome after rupture of CCAA was poor, with 41% of patients deceased or permanently disabled. Overall, patient outcomes were better in the endovascular and revascularization treatment group than in the conservative treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: Rupture of CCAA in MMD is associated with high morbidity and rerupture rate requiring urgent treatment.

Three-Dimensional Planning and Patient-Specific Drill Guides for Repair of Spondylolysis/L5 Pars Defect.

BACKGROUND: Incomplete ossification of the pars interarticularis will result in a pars defect, a common cause of low back pain in youth and strongly associated with participation in high-impact sports. If left untreated, it can result in spondylolisthesis, causing dynamic canal stenosis, low back pain, and radiculopathy. The treatment of pars defect was first described by Bucks in 1970, who used screws in the lamina placed through an upward and outward direction. However, because of the multiple inclusion and exclusion criteria and narrow margin of error, the Bucks pars repair technique is not commonly performed. METHODS: A 28-year-old woman had with low back pain that she had been experiencing since mid-adolescence. Computed tomography revealed a bilateral L5 pars defect without spondylolisthesis. Her L5 vertebra was reconstructed virtually. The screw trajectories, a 3-dimensional (3D) model of the vertebra, and a patient-specific drill guide (PSDG) were designed and printed using positioning guide software (MySpine MC Guides [Medacta International SA, Castel San Petro, Switzerland]). A modified Bucks procedure using cannulated compression screws and the PSDG was performed. RESULTS: Follow-up computed tomography revealed accurate placement of the compression screws, mirroring the planned trajectory. The patient was pain free at 3 months postoperatively, and early union across the defect was visualized on the 5-month radiographic imaging study. CONCLUSION: Using 3D planning software, complex surgical procedures can be planned using the patient's anatomy and computed tomography. With the aid of 3D-printed PSDGs, screw placement in narrow corridors, such as was shown in our case, is safe, efficient, and achievable.