Management of Complex Cerebral Aneurysms

BACKGROUND: Complex intracranial aneurysms (CIAs) are challenging pathologies to treat. Characteristics making an aneurysm complex include dimension, history of previous treatment, location, absence of collateral circulation, intraluminal thrombosis, and calcification of the wall. The goal of the therapeutic process is to exclude the malformation from the cerebral circulation and both endovascular and surgical treatments are valid procedures.METHODS: Between 1990 and 2020, 170 CIAs were treated at our institution (33 ruptured, 137 unruptured). They were 3 prepetrous segment of the internal carotid artery (ICA), 14 purely intracavernous sinus, 27 intracavernous with subarachnoid extension, 60 paraclinoid, 4 ICA bifurcation, 15 anterior communicating artery, 24 middle cerebral artery, and 23 in the posterior circulation. All the patients underwent neuroradiologic examinations and images were evaluated by the neurosurgical and interventional radiologist team. Endovascular treatment was considered as the treatment of choice. Alternative treatment was surgical clipping; revascularization procedures were performed when neither endovascular treatment nor direct clipping were possible.RESULTS: Of 170 patients, 45 underwent endovascular treatment, 77 surgical clipping, and 55 revascularization procedures. In the unruptured group, 12 patients died, 22 reported major complications, 3 had minor complications, and 101 had an uneventful postoperative course. In the ruptured group, 9 patients died, 10 had minor complications, 1 minor complication, and 13 had a complete recovery.CONCLUSIONS: Endovascular treatment should represent the treatment of choice for CIAs. Alternative treatments include direct surgical clipping and revascularization. Overall, the correct identification of the therapeutic process guarantees a good clinical outcome.