Julius Dengler

Outcome of Surgical or Endovascular Treatment of Giant Intracranial Aneurysms, with Emphasis on Age, Aneurysm Location, and Unruptured Aneuryms--A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Designing treatment strategies for unruptured giant intracranial aneurysms (GIA) is difficult as evidence of large clinical trials is lacking. We examined the outcome following surgical or endovascular GIA treatment focusing on patient age, GIA location and unruptured GIA. Methods: Medline and Embase were searched for studies reporting on GIA treatment outcome published after January 2000. We calculated the proportion of good outcome (PGO) for all included GIA and for unruptured GIA by meta-analysis using a random effects model. Results: We included 54 studies containing 64 study populations with 1,269 GIA at a median follow-up time (FU-T) of 26.4 months (95% CI 10.8-42.0). PGO was 80.9% (77.4-84.4) in the analysis of all GIA compared to 81.2% (75.3-86.1) in the separate analysis of unruptured GIA. For each year added to patient age, PGO decreased by 0.8%, both for all GIA and unruptured GIA. For all GIA, surgical treatment resulted in a PGO of 80.3% (95% CI 76.0-84.6) compared to 84.2% (78.5-89.8, p = 0.27) after endovascular treatment. In unruptured GIA, PGO was 79.7% (95% CI 71.5-87.8) after surgical treatment and 84.9% (79.1-90.7, p = 0.54) after endovascular treatment. PGO was lower in high quality studies and in studies presenting aggregate instead of individual patient data. In unruptured GIA, the OR for good treatment outcome was 5.2 (95% CI 2.0-13.0) at the internal carotid artery compared to 0.1 (0.1-0.3, p < 0.1) in the posterior circulation. Patient sex, FU-T and prevalence of ruptured GIA were not associated with PGO. Conclusions: We found that the chances of good outcome after surgical or endovascular GIA treatment mainly depend on patient age and aneurysm location rather than on the type of treatment conducted. Our analysis may inform future research on GIA.

The Y-shaped double-barrel bypass in the treatment of large and giant anterior communicating artery aneurysms

Large and giant anterior communicating artery (ACoA) aneurysms usually show partial thrombosis and incorporate both the A(1) and A(2) segments and crucial perforating vessels. Therefore, direct clip placement or endovascular strategies often fail, leaving cerebral bypass surgery as a relevant therapeutic option. The authors present 3 cases in which a giant or large ACoA aneurysm was successfully occluded using a new technique that applies a double-barrel radial artery bypass. A radial artery graft is modified into a Y-shaped double-barrel conduit. After both pterional and parasagittal craniotomies are carried out, the graft is tunneled between both sites and anastomosed in an end-to-side fashion proximally to either a superficial temporal artery (STA) or M(2) branch and distally to bilateral A(3) branches. Aneurysm occlusion is then conducted through the pterional or parasagittal craniotomy. In one case, a 42-year-old patient in whom an endovascular approach had failed, the authors performed an STA-A(3)-A(3) bypass and proximal aneurysm occlusion. In two others, a 49-year-old man in whom coiling had failed and a 56-year-old man in whom a giant ACoA aneurysm was partially thrombosed, the authors performed an M(2)-A(3)-A(3) double-barrel bypass followed by either proximal or distal aneurysm occlusion. Complete aneurysm occlusion with excellent bypass perfusion was documented in the first two cases. In the third case, the authors observed good bypass perfusion with persistent antegrade aneurysm filling, and thus endovascular coil embolization was added to completely occlude the aneurysm. The Y-shaped double-barrel bypass using a radial artery graft allows for safe and effective occlusion of large and giant ACoA aneurysms that cannot be treated by direct clip application.

Comparison of a new brain tissue oxygenation probe with the established standard.

INTRODUCTION Continuous bedside brain tissue oxygenation (p(br)O(2)) monitoring using the Licox system is an established method for detecting secondary ischemia in comatose patients with acute brain injury. The purpose of the current study was to compare the newly introduced Raumedic p(br)O(2) probe with the established standard. METHODS Eighteen patients with acute traumatic brain injury or aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage had p(br)O(2) probes of both types implanted side by side in the same vascular territory at risk of ischemia. Data were analyzed by the Bland-Altman method as well as random effect regression models to correct for multiple measurements per individual. RESULTS Both types of probes were able to display spontaneous fluctuations of p(br)O(2) as well as reactions to therapy. Mean measurement difference between the Licox and Raumedic probes was -2.3 mmHg, with corresponding 95% limits of agreement of -32.3 to 27.5 mmHg. Regarding an ischemia threshold of 15 mmHg, both probes were in agreement in 78% and showed disparate results in 22%. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that the p(br)O(2) measurements of the two systems cannot be interchanged. Although we were unable to determine which system delivers more valid data, we do think that more rigorous testing is necessary before implementing the new probe in clinical routine.

Perianeurysmal edema in giant intracranial aneurysms in relation to aneurysm location, size, and partial thrombosis.

OBJECT The underlying mechanisms causing intracranial perianeurysmal edema (PAE) are still poorly understood. Since PAE is most frequently observed in giant intracranial aneurysms (GIAs), the authors designed a study to examine the occurrence of PAE in relation to the location, size, and partial thrombosis (PT) of GIAs along with the clinical impact of PAE. METHODS Magnetic resonance imaging data for patients with a diagnosis of unruptured GIA from the international multicenter Giant Intracranial Aneurysm Registry were retrospectively analyzed with regard to location and size of the GIA, PAE volume, and the presence of PT. The occurrence of PAE was correlated to clinical findings. RESULTS Imaging data for 69 GIAs were eligible for inclusion in this study. Perianeurysmal edema was observed in 33.3% of all cases, with the highest frequency in GIAs of the middle cerebral artery (MCA; 68.8%) and the lowest frequency in GIAs of the cavernous internal carotid artery (ICA; 0.0%). Independent predictors of PAE formation were GIA volume (OR 1.13, p = 0.02) and the occurrence of PT (OR 9.84, p = 0.04). Giant intracranial aneurysm location did not predict PAE occurrence. Giant aneurysms with PAE were larger than GIAs without PAE (p < 0.01), and GIA volume correlated with PAE volume (rs = 0.51, p = 0.01). Perianeurysmal edema had no influence on the modified Rankin Scale score (p = 0.30 or the occurrence of aphasia (p = 0.61) or hemiparesis (p = 0.82). CONCLUSIONS Perianeurysmal edema was associated with GIA size and the presence of PT. As no PAE was observed in cavernous ICA aneurysms, even though they exerted mass effect on the brain and also displayed PT, the dura mater may serve as a barrier protecting the brain from PAE formation.

The rationale and design of the Giant Intracranial Aneurysm Registry: a retrospective and prospective study

Aims and Hypothesis Giant intracranial aneurysms have a poor prognosis mainly due to their high risk of rupture. Because their incidence is low, clinical trial evidence for adequate treatment is lacking. The Giant Intracranial Aneurysm Registry is designed to document current treatment strategies in giant aneurysm care and to monitor the course of the disease over five-years. It aims to evaluate the hypothesis that all three possible branches of therapy (conservative/endovascular/surgical) lead to equal rupture rates. Design The Giant Intracranial Aneurysm Registry is an interdisciplinary multicenter observational study. Each center recruits patients diagnosed with a giant intracranial aneurysm both prospectively and retrospectively. Primary outcome will be the aneurysm rupture rate at five-years of follow-up. Study Outcome Patient enrollment has begun at 20 neurovascular centers throughout Germany, with 19 further centers applying for local ethics approval to take part in the study. The first nine months are designed as a pilot phase followed by the integration of study centers throughout the EU and the initiation of separate sub-studies. Discussion Giant intracranial aneurysms have often been ignored or marginalized due to their low incidence. The Giant Intracranial Aneurysm Registry aims to lead to a better understanding of these complex lesions and to serve as a basis for the development of future clinical studies.

Drift of the Bowman Hemedex® Cerebral Blood Flow Monitor Between Calibration Cycles

INTRODUCTION Since its introduction into clinical practice, the Bowman Hemedex® regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) monitor has provided a valuable tool for the bedside assessment of CBF in neurointensive care. The purpose of our study was to estimate the accuracy of CBF measurements between automatically performed self-calibration cycles at regular intervals. METHODS We analyzed data from 75 CBF probes, predominantly implanted into patients after severe subarachnoid hemorrhage. Automatic recalibration of the regional CBF device was performed every 30 min. CBF data were averaged once per minute and the measurement cycles pooled. Statistical analysis was performed with generalized additive modeling and bootstrapping methods. RESULTS Mean regional CBF was 24 mL/100 g/min after calibration and showed a mean drift of 2.3 mL/100 g/min per measurement cycle (p < 0.001). In every patient, the drift over the measurement cycle followed an exponential trend, with large heterogeneity between patients (-3.67 to 12.0 mL/100 g/min). A highly significant difference in drift was found for the internal software versions of the monitoring devices (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Data from the Bowman Hemedex® regional CBF monitor shows an upward measurement drift of clinically relevant magnitude. As the drift follows a stable exponential function over time, recalculation of drift-corrected data is possible after termination of the measurement.

Cost Comparison of Surgical and Endovascular Treatment of Unruptured Giant Intracranial Aneurysms

BACKGROUND Giant intracranial aneurysms (GIAs), which are defined as intracranial aneurysms (IAs) with a diameter of ≥25 mm, are most likely associated with the highest treatment costs of all IAs. However, the treatment costs of unruptured GIAs have so far not been reported. OBJECTIVE To examine direct costs of endovascular and surgical treatment of unruptured GIAs. METHODS We retrospectively examined 55 patients with unruptured GIAs treated surgically (37 patients) or endovascularly (18 patients) between April 2004 and March 2014. We analyzed the costs of all hospital stays, interventions, and imaging with a median follow-up of 46 months. RESULTS There was no difference in the costs of hospital stay between surgical and endovascular treatment groups (

Multiple reimplantation technique for treatment of complex giant aneurysms of the middle cerebral artery: technical note

10,565 vs.

Predictors of Outcome in Conservative and Minimally Invasive Surgical Management of Pain Originating from the Sacroiliac Joint

14,992; P = .37). Imaging costs were significantly higher in the surgical group than in the endovascular treatment group (

Differences in pain perception during open muscle biopsy and Bergstroem needle muscle biopsy

2890 vs.