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Ruptured carotid artery aneurysms of the ophthalmic (C6) segment: clinical and angiographic long term follow-up of a multidisciplinary management strategy
  1. C Sherif,
  2. A Gruber,
  3. C Dorfer,
  4. G Bavinzski,
  5. H Standhardt,
  6. E Knosp
  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  1. Correspondence to Dr C Sherif, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria; camillo.sherif{at}ksa.ch

Abstract

Background: The management of ruptured C6 aneurysms remains controversial. Detailed long-term outcome data are still lacking. Thus the present study provided a detailed long term follow-up for a multidisciplinary approach combining microsurgical clipping, endovascular embolisation and parent artery occlusion with/without bypass protection.

Methods: In our single centre analysis of 64 consecutive patients, indications for microsurgery were: superior aneurysm projection, giant/large or wide necked aneurysms and aneurysms at branching sites. Indications for embolisation were: narrow necks, neck calcification, close aneurysm relation to the clinoid process or adhesion to the distal dural ring, and aneurysm location in the concavity of the carotid siphon curve.

Results: 23 patients (35.9%) underwent microsurgery, 38 patients (59.4%) embolisation and three patients (4.7%) parent artery occlusion under bypass protection. Retreatment was required in 20.9% (surgery 8.7%, endovascular 31.6%). Procedure related transient complications occurred in 10.9% (surgery 13.0%, endovascular 10.5%). Procedure related permanent morbidities occurred in 6.3% (surgery 8.7%, endovascular 5.3%), including visual deficits in 4.7% (surgery 4.4%, endovascular 5.3%). One endovascular patient died. Angiographic follow-up (29.2 (SD 31.9) months) revealed total aneurysm occlusion in 94.4% of the surgical and 82.9% of the endovascular patients. Clinical follow-up (58.7 (SD 47.6) months) showed 73.4% of the population reaching Glasgow Outcome Scale 4–5, these data being equivalent to the International Subarachnoid Aneurysm Trial (ISAT) outcomes.

Conclusions: Based on favourable neuroradiological and ophthalmological outcomes, microsurgery is recommended for superiorly projecting aneurysms, especially aneurysms involving the ophthalmic artery, and for giant/large or wide necked aneurysms. Based on stable aneurysm occlusion and excellent clinical outcomes, embolisation can be recommended for inferiorly/medially projecting small, narrow necked aneurysms.

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Footnotes

  • C Sherif and A Gruber contributed equally to this study.

  • Competing interests None.

  • Ethics approval The study was approved by the Medical University of Vienna.

  • Provenance and Peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.