An Infected Aneurysm of the Vertebral Artery Treated with a Stent-graft: A Case Report.

In a 75-year-old man, a growing vertebral artery aneurysm at the C3/4 intervertebral level was found at postoperative evaluation of cervical abscess, which was diagnosed as a complication of sepsis subsequent to cholangitis. Even after a successful antibiotic treatment and a surgical drainage, the aneurysm grew enough to cause compression of esophagus and trachea. The aneurysm was judged to be infection-related, based on the clinical course and the anatomical vicinity to the abscess. Following a dual antiplatelet treatment (clopidogrel 75 mg and aspirin 100 mg per day) for a week, the patient underwent endovascular treatment of the aneurysm with a stent-graft. Postoperative angiography showed complete obliteration of the aneurysm with preserving patency of the vertebral artery. A dual antiplatelet treatment was continued for 6 months and was changed to a single antiplatelet treatment (clopidogrel 75 mg per day) thereafter. Neither recurrence of the aneurysm nor stent-graft infection was observed for 4 years of follow-up. This case illustrates the potential use of a stent-graft in the treatment of an infected aneurysm.

Torcular dural arteriovenous fistula treated via stent placement and angioplasty in the affected straight and transverse sinuses: case report.

The successful obliteration of torcular dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) with a diffuse shunt in the affected sinus may require complex treatment strategies. Therapeutic goals include the preservation of normal venous drainage and complete obliteration of shunt flow. The authors report the case of a torcular DAVF. The treatment of this type of AVF may require a combined approach with transarterial and transvenous embolization, open surgery, or radiosurgery and is associated with many problems. Stent placement and angioplasty in the affected sinus result in compression of the fistulous dural wall of the sinus and decrease shunt flow. In cases in which there is a diffuse shunt in the affected sinus and no evident shunt point, such as in AVFs involving venous pouches and parasinuses, sealing the fistula orifice with self-expandable stents and angioplasty (balloon inflation) is considered the best treatment option to preserve normal cerebral venous sinus drainage and obliterate shunt flow. In such cases, the authors recommend using one or more self-expandable and closed-cell stents and using angioplasty to avoid endoleakage into the gap between the stent graft and the vessel wall.

Clinical predictors of delayed cerebral ischemia after subarachnoid hemorrhage: first experience with coil embolization in the management of ruptured cerebral aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to clarify the clinical predictors of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). METHODS: 102 patients with ruptured cerebral aneurysms were treated (77 by clipping and 25 by coiling). 40 patients were male and 62 were female. Median age was 59 years (range 31-88). The modified Rankin Scale was used to assess functional outcomes 3 months after treatment or at discharge. The associations between potential clinical risk factors and DCI after SAH were assessed using the χ(2) test. RESULTS: 52 patients (51.0%) had a good outcome and 13 patients (12.7%) died despite treatment. DCI was observed in 26 patients and hydrocephalus was observed in 37 patients. There were marginal differences in clinical outcomes between the treatment groups (p=0.053), mainly because functional outcomes were significantly superior in the coiling group (p=0.04) in patients with severe SAH. DCI was seen less frequently in the coiling group than in the clipping group (4.0% vs 32.4%, p=0.001). The presence of hydrocephalus was significantly associated with the occurrence of DCI (p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis also showed that the treatment modality and the presence of hydrocephalus were independent risk factors for DCI. CONCLUSION: DCI was less frequently observed in the coiling group, and clinical outcomes were also superior in the coiling group, especially for patients with severe SAH. The results showed a significant correlation between DCI and hydrocephalus.