N-butyl cyanoacrylate proved beneficial to avoid a nontarget embolization of the ophthalmic artery in endovascular management of epistaxis. A neurointerventional report and literature review.

Epistaxis is a common disorder affecting equally both genders. Posterior origin of epistaxis in some instances requires endovascular treatment. Anastomoses between external carotid artery and internal carotid or ophthalmic arteries heighten the risk of stroke or blindness, if particles of polyvinyl alcohol are used for embolization. We report a case of 90-year-old man for whom successful embolization with N-Butyl Cyanoacrylate glue was performed as an alternative treatment for recurrent epistaxis.

Angiographic and clinical outcomes in 200 consecutive patients with cerebral aneurysm treated with hydrogel-coated coils.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Denser coil packing in intracranial aneurysms is believed to result in lower recanalization rates. Hydrogel-coated expandable coils (HydroCoil) improve volumetric packing of aneurysms in animal models and clinical studies, but data from large clinical series are limited. The objective of this retrospective analysis was to analyze immediate and follow-up angiographic results as well as complications in a large consecutive series of patients treated with HydroCoils at a single institution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed of periprocedural complications, immediate and follow-up angiograms, and retreatments of the first 200 consecutive intracranial aneurysms treated at Emory University Hospital. RESULTS: One hundred eighty-seven patients with 200 intracranial aneurysms were treated with HydroCoils during a 3-year period. Immediate angiograms showed complete aneurysmal obliteration in 58.4% of small aneurysms and 42.7% of large aneurysms. Periprocedural complications included early rebleeding and thromboembolic events resulting in permanent neurologic morbidity and mortality in 6% of cases. Follow-up angiography during an average of 16.3 months demonstrated recanalization in 17.7% of small aneurysms and 28.6% of large aneurysms, requiring retreatment in 6.3% and 19.0% of cases, respectively. During the same time period, there was delayed angiographic improvement in aneurysm obliteration in 26.6% of small aneurysms and 26.2% of large aneurysms. CONCLUSIONS: First-generation HydroCoil treatment of intracranial aneurysms has a favorable rate of recanalization compared with most large series of pure platinum coils with similar complication rates.

Transvenous treatment of cranial dural arteriovenous fistulas with hydrogel coated coils.

SUMMARY: Intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVF) with cortical venous reflux may become symptomatic due to venous congestion or intracranial hemorrhage. Venous congestion in the orbit can also occur resulting in proptosis, chemosis, double vision and progressive visual loss. The transvenous approach has been used for selective disconnection of the venous drainage to eliminate the venous congestion and future risk of intracranial bleeding and/or neurological deficit. Hydrogel coated coils (Hydro- Coil(R)) expand after contact with blood causing the coils to swell up to five to 11 times a standard 10-system bare platinum coil. Due to this property, HydroCoils could have an advantage over platinum coils in the transvenous approach to embolization of DAVFs. Ten patients with symptomatic cranial DAVF underwent a transvenous embolization using HydroCoils as the only embolic agent or in a combination with bare platinum coils. The patients' characteristics, symptoms, angioarchitecture of the DAVF, treatment, complications and results were analyzed. All the treated DAVFs were disconnected at the end of the procedure. All the patients with orbital symptoms had complete or significant improvement. There were no periprocedural complications. Nine patients had radiological follow-up showing cure. HydroCoils can be used effectively and safely to treat intracranial DAVFs transvenously. The volume expansion of Hydrocoils may have significant advantage over bare platinum coils given the large venous spaces that need to be filled. The use of HydroCoils may decrease the procedure time and consequently reduce the radiation dose to the patient.

Estabilización instrumental cervical por vía posterior: actualización en indicaciones y técnicas / Cervical spinal stabilization by posterior approach: actualization of indications and technique

La estabilización instrumental interna de columna cervical por vía posterior puede ser requerida por patologías traumáticas o no traumáticas: neoplasias, enfermedades degenerativas o inflamatorias. El diagnóstico de inestabilidad cervical se basa en el conocimiento de las características anatómicas del raquis, la evaluación clínica y neurológica del paciente y el uso de métodos por imágenes. Se exponen distintos sistemas de estabilización instrumental que se encuentran al alcance del cirujano para lograr la alternativa terapéutica que mejor se adapte a cada paciente