Endovascular management of unruptured intracranial aneurysms
- 1Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- 2Department of Radiology, University of Virginia
- Correspondence to: Dr Nader Pouratian University of Virginia, Department of Neurological Surgery, Box 800212, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA; np5k{at}hscmail.mcc.virginia.edu
- Received 22 August 2005
- Accepted 23 January 2006
- Revised 15 January 2006
Abstract
Endovascular coil embolisation is increasingly used to treat unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIA). Endovascular coil embolisation of UIA is associated with a 5–10% risk of morbidity and nearly zero mortality from the procedure. Complete or near complete occlusion is usually achieved in >90% of cases, and endovascular therapy seems to reduce the risk of future rupture significantly. Specific selection criteria for endovascular embolisation and novel approaches to endovascular treatment of aneurysms are discussed. Endovascular therapy appears to be a safe and effective treatment for selected UIA. Treatment failure rates will probably decrease with greater experience and advances in techniques and devices. Further study with long term follow up, however, is still necessary to characterise the efficacy, durability, and cost efficiency of endovascular treatment of UIA.
- ISUIA, International Study of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms
- MCA, middle cerebral artery
- SAH, subarachnoid haemorrhage
- UIA, unruptured intracranial aneurysm
Footnotes
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Competing interests: NFK has options in Microvention.
