Treatment outcome after coiling or clipping for elderly patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms

The purpose of this study was to analyze treatment outcomes according to treatment modality for elderly patients over 75 years with unruptured intracranial aneurysm.

Fifty-four elderly patients treated in a single tertiary institute between January 2010 and December 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. We compared clinical outcome, radiological results, and complications between the coiling and clipping groups.

A total of 55 procedures were performed in 54 patients. Of 55 aneurysms, 44 were treated endovascularly and 11 were treated surgically. There was no significant difference in patient baseline characteristics including mean age, sex, and preexisting co-morbidity between the two groups. Even though there was no significant difference (p=0.373), procedure-related symptomatic complication occurred only in coiling group (3 out of 44 patients, 6.6%). Mortality rate was significantly higher in clipping group (1 out of 11 patients, 9.1%) than in coiling group (0%, p=0.044). Good clinical outcome (modified Rankin Scale 0-2) at 90 days was achieved in 43 cases treated with coiling (97.7%), and 10 cases with clipping (90.9%, p=0.154).

Clipping is more invasive procedure and takes longer operation time, which might lead to unpredictable mortality in elderly patients. Coiling might have high procedure-related stroke rate due to tortuous vessels with atherosclerosis. Therefore, aggressive treatment of elderly patients should be carefully considered based on patient's medical condition and angiographic findings.