Spontaneous mirror dissections of cervicocephalic arteries. Pathomechanical considerations

Management of ruptured and unruptured intracranial vertebral artery dissecting aneurysms

Vertebral artery dissecting aneurysms (VADA) are challenging disorders for neurosurgeons. Between December 2005 and May 2010, we treated 12 patients for DA of the intracranial VA. Three were treated by open surgery, seven underwent endovascular manipulation, and two were conservatively managed. Nine patients presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage from the ruptured aneurysm, and of these, two experienced abrupt re-hemorrhage and three presented with symptoms of brainstem ischemia. One of the two patients with a re-hemorrhage underwent conservative management and died in hospital of re-bleeding at 30 days after initial presentation. No postoperative neurological deficits occurred in patients treated by open surgery or via an endovascular approach. No re-hemorrhage or ischemic symptoms were observed in the 11 remaining patients during the mean 29-month (range: 14-54-month) follow-up. The chosen management strategy should be developed according to the patient's clinical condition and imaging results. Endovascular treatment, which includes several techniques, is the first choice for most patients.

Management of spontaneous haemorrhagic intracranial vertebrobasilar dissection: review of 21 consecutive cases

INTRODUCTION

Haemorrhagic intracranial vertebrobasilar dissection is an uncommon cause of nontraumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) and accounts for only 1-10% of non-traumatic SAH. Treatment in the acute phase is considered to be essential because of the high risk of rebleeding and the consequent unfavourable outcome. However, the location, the potential for involvement of eloquent vessels and the histopathological characteristics of the vessel wall make treatment demanding from both a technical and anatomical point of view. We report our experience in the management of this disease. PATIENTS AND TREATMENTS: From 1989 to June 2006, we managed 21 patients with spontaneous haemorrhagic dissection located in the intracranial vertebrobasilar system, 13 patients were treated using an endovascular approach, 1 by surgical clipping, and 7 were managed conservatively.

RESULTS

Among the 13 patients treated endovascularly, 7 underwent proximal occlusion, 4 underwent parent artery embolization at the site of dissection, and 2 underwent endovascular trapping. Severe, treatment-related complications due to dislodgement of the thrombus during the procedure occurred in 1 patient, who then died from brainstem ischaemia. One patient died from severe pneumonia and one patient was left disabled from vasospastic ischaemia resulting from severe initial SAH. The remaining 10 patients had satisfactory outcomes: none rebled after treatment and when discharged they had Karnovsky scores of 80-100. Of the 7 conservatively treated patients, three died of rebleeding and four were discharged with Karnovsky scores of 50-100. One patient, who was treated surgically, was discharged with a Karnovsky of 90.

CONCLUSION

The high rate of rebleeding and consequent mortality among the patients treated conservatively argues for treatment in the acute phase. Treatment should be guided by each patient's angiomorphology, clinical condition and the experience of the neurosurgical/neuroradiological team. Options include endovascular or surgical trapping of the dissection and proximal occlusion and embolisation of the parent artery at the site of the dissection.