Usefulness of non-detachable balloons in endovascular treatment for cerebral aneurysms

An endovascular non-detachable balloon technique was used to treat 14 patients with cerebral aneurysms. Eight patients presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage, and six others presented with headache or mass effect. Six aneurysms were located in the anterior circulation and eight in the posterior circulation. Seven aneurysms were giant, three were large, and four were small. All target aneurysms or vessels were occluded successfully. Parent vessel was successfully spared in seven cases. There were no procedural complications related to the non-detachable nature of the balloon used. Follow-up angiography detected refilling of aneurysms in three of 11 patients, two with small ruptured aneurysms that bled again following partial deflation or balloon movement. The other aneurysms tested remained occluded, as demonstrated on follow-up angiograms, for up to 15 months. Outcomes were good to excellent in 10 patients, poor in one, and three died. Non-detachable balloons might be preferred for treatment of certain types of cerebral aneurysms including those where intraaneurysmal maneuvers might be considered dangerous, for example, with recent bleeding or intraluminal fresh clots; where precise placement of the balloon is required, for example, in the vicinity of perforators or collaterals emerging near the neck; and where detachment could be dangerous or difficult in broad neck and fusiform aneurysms or in tortuous parent vessels.