[Endovascular treatment of partially clipped aneurysms]

Partial clipping may occur in about 4% of surgical procedures. The risk of hemorrhage persists if the aneurysm is not completely excluded. Reoperations are often difficult, technically demanding and may carry an increased risk of complications. We report our experience with the use of Guglielmi detachable coils in the treatment of 9 aneurysm remnants. Five patients (55.6%) presented with a second subarachnoid hemorrhage. Eight of the aneurysms (88.9%) were located on the anterior circulation. Postoperative angiography showed complete occlusion in 8 cases (88.9%). Certain partial clipping types may assist and favor a stable coiling procedure allowing a more compact cast. On the other hand, the clip may interfere with the correct visualization of the neck. In this series, there was no neurological morbidity associated with the procedure. There were no hemorrhagic events during or after the embolization. Endovascular treatment of aneurysm remnants can be performed safely and may constitute a valuable option to microsurgery.