Surgical treatment of intracranial VA dissecting aneurysm

Koichiro Takemoto1, Hiroshi Abe, Ken Uda

  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, Fukuoka University School of medicine, 7-45-1 Nanakuma, Jounan-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka, 814-0180, Japan. take9016@fukuoka-.ac.jp

Insights

Intracranial vertebral artery (VA) dissections with aneurysms present significant risks. Surgical outcomes were poorer in hemorrhagic cases compared to non-hemorrhagic ones, emphasizing tailored treatment strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Neurosurgery
  • Vascular Neurology
  • Interventional Neuroradiology

Background:

  • Intracranial vertebral artery (VA) dissections are linked to severe outcomes like stroke and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).
  • High morbidity and mortality rates necessitate a clear understanding of clinical features and effective treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the clinical characteristics of intracranial VA dissections.
  • To evaluate the effectiveness of surgical treatments for these dissections.
  • To present a retrospective analysis of institutional experience.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 62 intracranial VA dissections treated between 1995 and 2007.
  • Focus on 14 cases associated with aneurysms requiring surgical intervention.
  • Categorization into hemorrhagic and non-hemorrhagic groups for outcome comparison.

Main Results:

  • In the hemorrhagic group (5 cases), 2 achieved good recovery (GR), while 3 had severe disability despite treatments like internal trapping of aneurysm (ITA).
  • In the non-hemorrhagic group (9 cases), all patients achieved good recovery (GR) with various surgical techniques including ITA and bypass surgery.
  • Treatment-related complications were noted in both groups, but outcomes were significantly better in the non-hemorrhagic cohort.

Conclusions:

  • Hemorrhagic intracranial VA dissections carry a more severe prognosis than non-hemorrhagic ones.
  • Surgical treatment strategies must be individualized based on aneurysm location and the origin of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA).
Abstract