A survey of the radiological follow-up of unruptured intracranial aneurysms in the United Kingdom.

OBJECTIVE: Unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIA) are common. For many the treatment risks outweigh their risk of subarachnoid haemorrhage and patients undergo surveillance imaging. There is little data to inform if and how to monitor UIAs resulting in widely varying practices. This study aimed to determine the current practice of unruptured UIA surveillance in the United Kingdom. METHODS: A questionnaire was designed to address the themes of surveillance protocols for UIA including when surveillance is initiated, how frequently it is performed, and when it is terminated. Additionally, how aneurysm growth is managed and how clinically meaningful growth is defined were explored. The questionnaire was distributed to members of the British Neurovascular Group using probability-based cluster and non-probability purposive sampling methods. RESULTS: Responses were received from 30 of the 30 (100.0%) adult neurosurgical units in the United Kingdom of which 27 (90.0%) routinely perform surveillance for aneurysm growth. Only four units had a unit policy. The mean patient age up to which a unit would initiate follow-up of a low-risk UIA was 65.4 ± 9.0 years. The time points at which imaging is performed varied widely. There was an even split between whether units use a fixed duration of follow-up or an age threshold for terminating surveillance. Forty percent of units will follow-up patients more than 5 years from diagnosis. The magnitude in the change in size that was felt to constitute growth ranged from 1 to 3mm. No units routinely used vessel wall imaging although 27 had access to 3T MRI capable of performing it. CONCLUSIONS: There is marked heterogeneity in surveillance practices between units in the United Kingdom. This study will help units better understand their practice relative to their peers and provide a framework forplanning further research on aneurysm growth.

Radiological follow-up of endovascularly treated intracranial aneurysms: a survey of current practice in the UK and Ireland.

PURPOSE: Due to the risk of intracranial aneurysm (IA) recurrence and the potential requirement for re-treatment following endovascular treatment (EVT), radiological follow-up of these aneurysms is necessary. There is little evidence to guide the duration and frequency of this follow-up. The aim of this study was to establish the current practice in neurosurgical units in the UK and Ireland. METHODS: A survey was designed with input from interventional neuroradiologists and neurosurgeons. Neurovascular consultants in each of the 30 neurosurgical units providing a neurovascular service in the UK and Ireland were contacted and asked to respond to questions regarding the follow-up practice for IA treated with EVT in their department. RESULTS: Responses were obtained from 28/30 (94%) of departments. There was evidence of wide variations in the duration and frequency of follow-up, with a minimum follow-up duration for ruptured IA that varied from 18 months in 5/28 (18%) units to 5 years in 11/28 (39%) of units. Young patient age, previous subarachnoid haemorrhage and incomplete IA occlusion were cited as factors that would prompt more intensive surveillance, although larger and broad-necked IA were not followed-up more closely in the majority of departments. CONCLUSIONS: There is a wide variation in the radiological follow-up of IA treated with EVT in the UK and Ireland. Further standardisation of this aspect of patient care is likely to be beneficial, but further evidence on the behaviour of IA following EVT is required in order to inform this process.

Case series of 100 supraorbital mini-craniotomies in patients with good grade aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage at a single neurosurgical Centre.

BACKGROUND: Endovascular techniques are becoming more common for cerebral aneurysms, but not all patients are suitable and open surgery is necessary for some. The traditional pterional approach requires a large craniotomy and this carries some morbidity in itself. With the growing expectation for minimally invasive surgery, we present our experience in supraorbital mini-craniotomy for good grade aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage. METHODS: Data on good-grade subarachnoid haemorrhage patients having aneurysms clipped via this approach were collected prospectively. Aneurysms at all anterior circulation sites were included, with the exception of the pericallosal artery, which was not within reach. A long-term follow-up questionnaire was sent to patients who had a supraorbital approach to clip the aneurysm at more than 1 year from hospital discharge. RESULTS: Our results demonstrate mortality of 1% and severe residual disability in 10% of patients. Approach-related complications were low and it was considered that the operating space was not restricted in any of our cases. Return to work was achieved in 70% of patients who were working at the time of their haemorrhage. CONCLUSIONS: Supraorbital micro-craniotomy is a safe approach for patients with proximal anterior circulation aneurysms, with low mortality and morbidity.

Complete heart block as the presenting feature in subarachnoid haemorrhage.

Cardiac manifestations of subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) are well-documented phenomena that can complicate the treatment of this devastating condition. Here, we present a case of SAH presenting as complete heart block on initial assessment, an extremely rare event.A 53-year-old woman presented with a witnessed fall, sustaining a mild head injury. She denied any symptoms of SAH. Initial ECG revealed complete heart block, for which the patient was accepted under the cardiology team. For completion, a CT head scan was requested, this demonstrated significant SAH blood load in an aneurysmal rather than traumatic pattern. CT angiogram and subsequent digital subtraction angiography confirmed a posterior communicating artery aneurysm as the cause of the SAH. This case highlights the importance of considering neurological diagnoses in patients with collapse even with concomitant cardiac abnormalities, as the two are often inextricably linked.

Ventriculostomy associated haemorrhage: a complication of anti-platelet therapy during coiling.

A young man with Fisher grade IV subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) underwent aneurysm coiling following external ventriculostomy. Coiling was complicated by thrombus formation and parent vessel occlusion necessitating anti-platelet therapy. Several hours after anti-platelet therapy, catastrophic haemorrhage associated with the ventriculostomy tract occurred. Timing and location of haemorrhage suggest combined anti-platelet therapy and ventriculostomy may have been causal. The literature on ventriculostomy haemorrhage rates and risks with concomitant anti-platelet therapy are reviewed. Where endovascular coiling is being considered, the possibility of ventriculostomy-related haemorrhage should be considered and should influence subsequent treatment decisions.

Delayed post-operative haemorrhage after carmustine wafer implantation: a case series from two UK centres.

OBJECT: Significant haemorrhage following intracranial tumour resection may occur in 1-2% of cases and the majority occur within the first few hours post-operatively. Implantation of carmustine wafers has been associated with increased operative site complications in some series, but post-operative haematoma is not routinely reported. We analyzed the characteristics of post-operative haemorrhage after carmustine wafer insertion. METHODS: We performed a retrospective audit of surgical site haematoma after tumour resection and insertion of carmustine wafers in two neurosurgical units in the UK (University Hospital of North Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, March 2003 - July 2012; Wessex Neurological Centre, Southampton, October 2005 - January 2013). RESULTS: During the specified time periods, carmustine wafers were inserted in 181 operations in 177 patients. We identified acute operative site haematomas after carmustine wafer insertion in 8 (4.4%) patients. All presented in a delayed fashion on or after Day 2 post-operatively. In contrast, acute operative site haematoma was present in 4/491 (0.81%) of patients who underwent resection without gliadel wafer insertion. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to the expected timing of bleeding following intracranial tumour resection, all carmustine wafer patients who experienced haemorrhage presented in a delayed fashion on or after Day 2 post-operatively. The causative factors for universally delayed post-operative haematoma after carmustine wafer insertion are unclear and further studies are required to characterize this phenomenon.

An unusual aneurysm of a basilar perforating artery presenting with a subarachnoid haemorrhage.

A 65-year-old man had a perimesencephalic subarachnoid haemorrhage with normal angiography initially. After a rebleed 5 days later, a repeat angiogram revealed a pea-like aneurysm a short distance behind and below the basilar bifurcation. It was not amenable to endovascular treatment and the feeding vessel was coagulated and divided at open surgery via a sub temporal approach. He developed a right hemiparesis and dysphasia, from which he slowly recovered. Basilar perforating artery aneurysms are extremely rare, with only 4 previous cases reported.

Pituitary apoplexy after joint arthroplasty.

Pituitary apoplexy is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition caused by the sudden enlargement of a pituitary adenoma secondary to infarction and hemorrhage. The clinical syndrome is characterized by sudden onset of headache, ocular palsies, visual disturbances, and altered state of consciousness. We report 2 patients who had postoperative pituitary apoplexy after total hip and total knee arthroplasty. Asymptomatic pituitary adenomas are difficult to diagnose preoperatively. Its existence is an unlikely suspect until the clinical symptoms develop after surgery. This is the first reported case following total hip arthroplasty.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage emanating from a ruptured infundibulum: case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Infundibula are frequently regarded as incidental anatomical variants that are of no pathogenetic significance. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 51-year-old man presented with a sudden onset of severe occipital headache. Computed tomographic scan revealed a predominantly perimesencephalic pattern of SAH with a slight bias toward the left side. Angiography demonstrated a left PCo-A IF as the sole abnormality. At craniotomy, the left PCo-A IF was found to represent the sole abnormality. The IF was markedly reddened posteriorly, contained a capping clot, and lay immediately adjacent to a mass of xanthochromatous tissue. The PCo-A was hypoplastic and lacked perforating vessels; therefore, the IF base was successfully clipped with a straight Sugita clip parallel to the left ICA. At discharge and at clinical follow-up, our patient was asymptomatic and lacked neurologic signs. CONCLUSIONS: Infundibula may rarely represent a direct source of rupture and SAH. Exploratory craniotomy is required to establish the diagnosis and to provide definitive treatment. To label a case of SAH as angiogram-negative may be unwise when an IF potentially colocalizes to the SAH source.