Intravascular neurosurgery for cerebral aneurysm using interlocking detachable coils

Instead of the Guglielmi detachable coil (GDC; Target Therapeutics, Fremont, California), the interlocking detachable coil (IDC; Target Therapeutics, Fremont, California) was the only available detachable and retractable coil in Japan until February 1997. From October 1993 to February 1997, endovascular treatment with IDCs were attempted for 25 cases of cerebral aneurysm. Within 25 trials, 15 cases were treated by intraaneurysmal coil embolization, 9 cases by parent artery or proximal occlusion using IDCs and one case could not be treated due to anatomical problems of the aneurysm. As for 15 cases of intraaneurysmal coil packing, complete occlusion was performed in 9 cases, subtotal occlusion in 4 cases and partial occlusion in 2 cases. In one of the partial occluded cases, a coil compaction occurred 6 months after embolization. Distal emboli were recognized on CT after embolization in 3 cases, however, only one case was symptomatic. Intraoperative bleeding occurred in one case, but no obvious hemorrhage after coil embolization in any case. From our experiences, treatment for poor-grade ruptured aneurysm is still difficult, but intravascular surgery for cerebral aneurysms using IDC is possible and a useful alternative, especially for surgically difficult aneurysm.