Flow diversion for complex middle cerebral artery aneurysms

This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of flow diversion for treatment of large and complex middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms.

We conducted a retrospective review of the clinical charts of all patients who underwent Pipeline Embolization Device (PED) placement for aneurysm at our institution from October 2010 to October 2013. We included ten patients, of which five had large MCA aneurysms and three had giant ones. Fusiform unruptured aneurysms represented seven of all ten aneurysms. Angiographic and clinical follow-up were available for all patients mostly between 7 and 12 months.

We had no technical complications, one periprocedural morbidity, and no mortality. On follow-up, we had no hemorrhagic complications, no aneurysms rupture, and only one clinically significant thromboembolic event in a patient who discontinued antiplatelet therapy against medical advice. One patient had completely occluded his diseased vessel but remained asymptomatic. The overall complication rate is 3/10. On follow-up, complete occlusion occurred in seven patients (7/9).

PED treatment for large, giant, and bifurcation MCA aneurysms was feasible, with satisfying complete occlusion rate, no mortality, and reasonable morbidity rate.