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Endovascular treatment for large (> 10 mm) basilar tip aneurysms: a retrospective case series

Acta Neurochirurgica volume 164, pages 1239–1245 (2022)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

To report the long-term clinical and angiographic outcomes of the endovascular treatment of large/giant basilar tip aneurysms (BTAs) in our institutions.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed cases of BTA larger than 10 mm that received endovascular treatment between January 2009 and December 2019. Data on the demographic and clinical characteristics and radiologic severity were obtained from the patients’ medical records. The collected clinical follow-up data included neurological evaluation. Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) was performed 6 to 12 months after the procedure, followed by once every 1 to 2 years as needed.

Results

A total of 12 patients with BTA were included in this study. The median age was 60.08 years (27–80 years), and the mean clinical follow-up was 66.78 months (19.00–142.87 months). Almost half of the patients presented with unruptured BTAs (58.33%, n = 7). The median maximum aneurysm diameter was 13.00 mm (10.46–20.90 mm) and the mean neck size was 8.34 mm (4.82–13.04 mm). A Modified Raymond Roy Classification (MRRC1) of 1 or 2 was observed in 66.67% of the patients (n = 8) immediately after the first procedure. Procedural morbidity and mortality were 33.33% and 8.33%, respectively. Major recanalization occurred in two patients, one of whom underwent additional coiling with the other being merely observed due to older age.

Conclusion

It is very difficult to cure a large BTA completely at once and recanalization occurred often after endovascular treatment. Conducting long-term follow-up studies at short intervals is warranted, as well as improving existing treatment methods and developing new approaches.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Min Jeoung Kim, Joonho Chung, Keun Young Park & Yong Bae Kim

  2. Department of Radiology, Severance Stroke Center, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Dong Joon Kim & Byung Moon Kim

  3. Department of Neurosurgery, Yongin Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yongin, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea

    Jae Whan Lee

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  1. Min Jeoung Kim
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  2. Joonho Chung
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Correspondence to Joonho Chung.

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All procedures involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee (Yonsei University Institutional Review Board) and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. For this type of study, formal consent is not required.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Vascular Neurosurgery - Aneurysm

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Kim, M.J., Chung, J., Park, K.Y. et al. Endovascular treatment for large (> 10 mm) basilar tip aneurysms: a retrospective case series. Acta Neurochir 164, 1239–1245 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00701-022-05175-0

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Keywords

  • Endovascular treatment
  • Basilar tip aneurysms
  • Large aneurysm