Endovascular occlusion of vertebral arteries in the treatment of unclippable vertebrobasilar aneurysms

• Published in: Journal of neurosurgery Vol. 74; no. 3; pp. 393 - 398
• Main Authors: AYMARD, A, GOBIN, Y. P, HODES, J. E, BIEN, S, RÜFENACHT, D, REIZINE, D, GEORGE, B, MERLAND, J. J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Park Ridge, IL American Association of Neurological Surgeons 01-03-1991
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aneurysm - surgery; Basilar Artery; Biological and medical sciences; Catheterization - methods; Child; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neurology; Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system; Vertebral Artery - surgery; Human; Intracranial; Nervous system diseases; Treatment; Aneurysm; Vertebral artery; Radiology; Instrumentation therapy; Operation; Instrumental obliteration; Vertebrobasilar; Cerebrovascular disease
• ISSN: 0022-3085; 1933-0693
• DOI: 10.3171/jns.1991.74.3.0393

Twenty-one patients with aneurysms of the vertebrobasilar circulation underwent unilateral or bilateral endovascular occlusion of the vertebral artery. Six patients presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), 10 with mass effect, four with mass effect and SAH, and one with ischemic symptoms. Thirteen patients had good outcomes with complete clinical and angiographic cure. Six patients had partial thrombosis of their aneurysms. There was one death and one treatment failure. One patient suffered transient stroke. It is concluded that endovascular occlusion of the vertebral artery following test occlusion is a safe and effective treatment for proximal aneurysms of the vertebrobasilar circulation.