Aneurysm sac shrinkage at 1 year after fenestrated-branched endovascular aortic repair of complex aortic aneurysms offers mid-term survival advantage.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of 1-year changes in aneurysm sac diameter on patient survival after fenestrated-branched endovascular aortic repair (FB-EVAR) of complex abdominal aortic aneurysms or thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical data of patients enrolled in a prospective nonrandomized study investigating FB-EVAR (2013-2022). Patients with sequential follow up computed tomography scans at baseline and 6 to 18 months after FB-EVAR were included in the analysis. Aneurysm sac diameter change was defined as the difference in maximum aortic diameter from baseline measurements obtained in centerline of flow. Patients were classified as those with sac shrinkage (≥5 mm) or failure to regress (<5 mm or expansion) according to sac diameter change. The primary end point was all-cause mortality. Secondary end points were aortic-related mortality (ARM), aortic aneurysm rupture (AAR), and aorta-related secondary intervention. RESULTS: There were 549 patients treated by FB-EVAR. Of these, 463 patients (71% male, mean age, 74 ± 8 years) with sequential computed tomography imaging were investigated. Aneurysm extent was thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms in 328 patients (71%) and abdominal aortic aneurysms in 135 (29%). Sac shrinkage occurred in 270 patients (58%) and failure to regress in 193 patients (42%), including 19 patients (4%) with sac expansion at 1 year. Patients from both groups had similar cardiovascular risk factors, except for younger age among patients with sac shrinkage (73 ± 8 years vs 75 ± 8 years; P < .001). The median follow-up was 38 months (interquartile range, 18-51 months). The 5-year survival estimate was 69% ± 4.1% for the sac shrinkage group and 46% ± 6.2% for the failure to regress group. Survival estimates adjusted for confounders (age, chronic pulmonary obstructive disease, chronic kidney disease, congestive heart failure, and aneurysm extent) revealed a higher hazard of late mortality in patients with failure to regress (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.72; 95% confidence interval, 1.18-2.52; P = .005). The 5-year cumulative incidences of ARM (1.1% vs 3.1%; P = .30), AAR (0.6% vs 2.6%; P = .20), and aorta-related secondary intervention (17.0% ± 2.8% vs 19.0% ± 3.8%) were both comparable between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Aneurysm sac shrinkage at 1 year is common after FB-EVAR and is associated with improved patient survival, whereas sac enlargement affects only a minority of patients. The low incidences of ARM and AAR indicate that failure to regress may serve as a surrogate marker for nonaortic-related death.

Dietary Iron Restriction Protects against Aneurysm Rupture in a Mouse Model of Intracranial Aneurysm.

INTRODUCTION: Iron accumulation in vessel walls induces oxidative stress and inflammation, which can cause cerebrovascular damage, vascular wall degeneration, and intracranial aneurysmal formation, growth, and rupture. Subarachnoid hemorrhage from intracranial aneurysm rupture results in significant morbidity and mortality. This study used a mouse model of intracranial aneurysm to evaluate the effect of dietary iron restriction on aneurysm formation and rupture. METHODS: Intracranial aneurysms were induced using deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt-induced hypertension and a single injection of elastase into the cerebrospinal fluid of the basal cistern. Mice were fed an iron-restricted diet (n = 23) or a normal diet (n = 25). Aneurysm rupture was detected by neurological symptoms, while the presence of intracranial aneurysm with subarachnoid hemorrhage was confirmed by post-mortem examination. RESULTS: The aneurysmal rupture rate was significantly lower in iron-restricted diet mice (37%) compared with normal diet mice (76%; p < 0.05). Serum oxidative stress, iron accumulation, macrophage infiltration, and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine in the vascular wall were lower in iron-restricted diet mice (p < 0.01). The areas of iron positivity were similar to the areas of CD68 positivity and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine in both normal diet and iron-restricted diet mouse aneurysms. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that iron is involved in intracranial aneurysm rupture via vascular inflammation and oxidative stress. Dietary iron restriction may have a promising role in preventing intracranial aneurysm rupture.

Management of renal artery aneurysms: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Although renal artery aneurysms (RAAs) are rare and often asymptomatic with slow growth, their natural progression and optimal management are not well understood. Treatment recommendations for RAAs do exist; however, they are supported by limited data. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to explore the management of patients diagnosed with an RAA at our institution from January 1st, 2013, to December 31st, 2020. Patients were identified through a search of our radiological database, followed by a comprehensive chart review for further assessment. Data collection encompassed patient and aneurysm characteristics, the rationale for initial imaging, treatment, surveillance, and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: One hundred eighty-five patients were diagnosed with or treated for RAAs at our center during this timeframe, with most aneurysms having been discovered incidentally. Average aneurysm size was 1.40 cm (±0.05). Of those treated, the mean size was 2.38 cm (±0.24). Among aneurysms larger than 3 cm in size, comprising 3.24% of the total cases, 83.3% underwent treatment procedures. Only 20% of women of childbearing age received treatment for their aneurysms. There was one instance of aneurysm rupture, with no associated mortality or significant morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Our institution's management of RAAs over the period of the study generally aligned with guidelines. One potential area of improvement is more proactive intervention for women of childbearing age.

Presumed renal arterial aneurysm in a cat.

A 3-year-old cat was presented for an abdominal ultrasound examination with apathy and anemia. The US revealed the enlargement of the left kidney with a hypoechoic subcapsular thickening. An abnormal, tortuous vessel was visible in the medulla with arterial flow on pulsed-wave Doppler examination. The CT examination confirmed the ultrasound findings and a presumptive diagnosis of the intraparenchymal renal aneurysm was made. Four days later, the cat presented again with a worsening of its condition. The US features were suggestive for that of an aneurysm rupture.

Characterization of multiple organ failure after ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

BACKGROUND: Multiple organ failure (MOF) is associated with poor outcomes and increased mortality in sepsis and trauma. There are limited data regarding MOF in patients after ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) repair. We aimed to identify the contemporary prevalence and characteristics of patients with rAAA with MOF. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients with rAAA who underwent repair (2010-2020) at our multihospital institution. Patients who died within the first 2 days after repair were excluded. MOF was quantified by modified (excluding hepatic system) Denver, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, and Multiple Organ Dysfunction Score (MODS) for postoperative days 3 to 5 to determine the prevalence of MOF. MOF was defined as a Denver score of >3, dysfunction in two or more organ systems by SOFA score, or a MODS score of >8. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank testing were used to evaluate differences in 30-day mortality between multiple organ failure and patients without MOF. Logistic regression was used to assess predictors of MOF. RESULTS: Of 370 patients with rAAA, 288 survived past two days (mean age, 73±10.1 years; 76.7% male; 44.1% open repair), and 143 had data for MOF calculation recorded. From postoperative days 3 to 5, 41 (14.24%) had MOF by Denver, 26 (9.03%) by SOFA, and 39 (13.54%) by MODS criteria. Among these scoring systems, pulmonary and neurological systems were impacted most commonly. Among patients with MOF, pulmonary derangement occurred in 65.9% (Denver), 57.7% (SOFA), and 56.4% (MODS). Similarly, neurological derangement occurred in 92.3% (SOFA) and 89.7% (MODS), but renal derangement occurred in 26.8% (Denver), 23.1% (SOFA), and 10.3% (MODS). MOF by all three scoring systems was associated with increased 30-day mortality (Denver: 11.3% vs 41.5% [P < .01]; DOFA: 12.6% vs 46.2% [P < .01]; MODS: 12.5% vs 35.9% [P < .01]), as was MOF by any criteria (10.8% vs 35.7 %; P < .01). Patients with MOF were more likely to have a higher body mass index (55.9±26.6 vs 49.0±15.0; P = .011) and to have had a preoperative stroke (17.9% vs 6.0%; P = .016). Patients with MOF were less likely to have undergone endovascular repair (30.4% vs 62.1%; P < .001). Endovascular repair was protective against MOF (any criteria) on multivariate analysis (odds ratio, 0.23; 95% confidence interval, 0.08-0.64; P = .019) after adjusting for age, gender, and presenting systolic blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: MOF occurred in only 9% to 14% of patients after rAAA repair, but was associated with a three-fold increase in mortality. Endovascular repair was associated with a reduced MOF incidence.

Relevance of Type II Endoleak After Endovascular Repair of Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: A Retrospective Single-Center Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) is widely used as an alternative to open repair in elective and even in emergent cases of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA). One of the most frequent complications after EVAR is type II endoleak (T2EL). In elective therapy, evidence-based therapeutic recommendations for T2EL are limited. Completely unclear is the role of T2EL after EVAR for rAAA (rEVAR). This study aims to investigate the significance of T2ELs after rEVAR. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective single-center data analysis of all patients who underwent rEVAR between January 2010 and December 2020 with primary T2EL. The outcome criteria were overall and T2EL-related mortality and reintervention rate as well as development of aneurysm diameter over follow-up (FU). RESULTS: During the study period between January 2010 and December 2020, 35 (25%) out of 138 patients with rEVAR presented a primary postoperative T2EL (age 74±11 years, 34 males). At rupture, mean aneurysm diameter was 73±12 mm. Follow-up was 26 (0-172) months. The reintervention-free survival was 69% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 55%-86%) at 30 days, 58% (95% CI: 43%-78%) at 1 year, and 52% (95% CI: 36%-75%) at 3 years. In 40% (n=14), T2ELs resolved spontaneously within a median time of 3.4 (0.03-85.6) months. The overall and T2EL reintervention rates were 43% (n=15) and 9% (n=3), respectively. Within 30 days, 11 patients (31%) required reintervention, of which 2 were T2EL related. Aneurysm sac growth by ≥5 mm was seen in 3 patients (9%), and aneurysm shrinkage rate was significantly higher in sealed T2EL group (86% vs 5%, p<0.0001). The overall survival was 85% (95% CI: 74%-98%) at 30 days, 75% (95% CI: 61%-92%) at 1 year, and 67% (95% CI: 51%-87%) at 3 years. Six deaths were aneurysm related, while 1 was T2EL related within the first 30 days due to persistent hemorrhage. During FU, one more patient died due to a T2EL-related secondary rupture (T2EL-related mortality, 5.7%, n=2). Multivariable analysis revealed that arterial hypertension was associated with an increased risk for reintervention (hazard ratio [HR]: 27.8, 95% CI: 1.48-521, p=0.026) and age was associated with an increased risk for mortality (HR 1.14, 95% CI: 1.04-1.26, p=0.005). CONCLUSION: T2ELs after rEVAR showed a benign course in most cases. In the short term, the possibility of persistent bleeding should be considered. In the mid term, a consequent FU protocol is required to detect known late complications after EVAR at an early stage and to prevent secondary rupture and death.

Early Relative Growth Rate of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms and Future Risk of Rupture or Repair.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to test whether the relative growth rate of subthreshold abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) in the first 24 months of surveillance predicts the risk of future rupture or repair. METHODS: This was a single centre retrospective observational analysis of all small (< 45 mm diameter) and medium (45 - 54 mm in men, 45 - 50 mm in women) AAAs entered into ultrasound surveillance between January 2002 and December 2019, which received ≥ 24 months of surveillance. Relative growth rates were calculated from measurements taken in the first 24 months of surveillance. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate intervention and rupture free proportions five years following diagnosis for AAAs growing by < 5% and by ≥ 5% in the first 24 months of surveillance. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to further analyse this relationship by adjusting for factors found to be significantly associated with outcome in univariable analysis. RESULTS: A total of 556 patients with AAAs (409 men, 147 women) were followed for ≥ 24 months. This included 431 small AAAs. Of these, 109 (25.3%) grew by < 5% in the first 24 months of surveillance and had a cumulative event free proportion of 0.98 ± 0.05 at five years compared with 0.78 ± 0.05 for the ≥ 5% growth group (p < .001). Of 125 medium AAAs, 26 (20.8%) grew by < 5% in the first 24 months of surveillance and had a cumulative event free proportion of 0.73 ± 0.11 at five years compared with 0.29 ± 0.13 for the ≥ 5% growth group (p = .024). Baseline diameter and early relative growth rate were strongly and independently predictive of future intervention or rupture with hazard ratios of 9.16 (95% CI 5.98 - 14.03, p < .001) and 4.46 (95% CI 2.45 - 8.14, p < .001), respectively. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that slow expansion of small (< 45 mm) AAAs observed over an isolated 24 month period is indicative of a very low risk of rupture or repair in the medium term. Isolated growth rates may be a useful tool with which to triage low risk AAAs and prevent unnecessary surveillance.

The Role of NF-κB in Intracranial Aneurysm Pathogenesis: A Systematic Review.

Intracranial aneurysms (IAs) are abnormal dilations of the cerebral vessels, which pose a persistent threat of cerebral hemorrhage. Inflammation is known to contribute to IA development. The nuclear factor "kappa-light-chain-enhancer" of activated B-cells (NF-κB) is the major driver of inflammation. It increases the expression of inflammatory markers and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which contribute heavily to the pathogenesis of IAs. NF-κB activation has been linked to IA rupture and resulting subarachnoid hemorrhage. Moreover, NF-κB activation can result in endothelial dysfunction, smooth muscle cell phenotypic switching, and infiltration of inflammatory cells in the arterial wall, which subsequently leads to the initiation and progression of IAs and consequently results in rupture. After a systematic search, abstract screening, and full-text screening, 30 research articles were included in the review. In this systematic review, we summarized the scientific literature reporting findings on NF-κB's role in the pathogenesis of IAs. In conclusion, the activation of the NF-κB pathway was associated with IA formation, progression, and rupture.

Characterization of immediate and early mortality after repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm.

BACKGROUND: We sought to compare immediate and early mortality among patients undergoing ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (RAAA) repair. Evaluation of RAAA has focused on 30-day postoperative mortality. Other emergency conditions such as trauma have demonstrated a multimodal mortality distribution within the 30-day window, expanding the pathophysiologic understanding and allowing for intervention investigations with practice changing and lifesaving results. However, the temporal distribution and risk factors of postoperative morbidity and mortality in RAAA have yet to be investigated. METHODS: We evaluated factors associated with RAAA postoperative mortality in immediate (<1 day) and early (1-30 days) postoperative periods in a landmarked retrospective cohort study using data from the Vascular Quality Initiative (2010-2020). RESULTS: We identified 5157 RAAA repairs (mean age, 72 ± 10 years; 77% male; 88% White; 61% endovascular). The mortality rate in the immediate period was 10.2% (528/5157) and the early mortality rate was 22.1% (918/4163). In multivariable regression analyses, signs of hemorrhagic shock (ie, hemoglobin <7 g/dL: adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.87 [95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14-3.06]; any preoperative systolic blood pressure <70 mm Hg: aOR, 1.40 [95% CI, 1.04-1.89]; and estimated blood loss >40%: aOR, 3.65 [95% CI, 2.29-5.83]) were associated with an increased risk of immediate mortality. Comorbid conditions (heart failure: aOR, 1.38 [95% CI, 1.00-1.92]; pulmonary disease: aOR, 1.29 [95% CI, 1.05-1.58]; elevated creatinine: aOR 1.26 [95% CI, 1.31-1.41]) were associated with increased risk of early mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Immediate deaths were associated predominantly with shock from massive hemorrhage, whereas early deaths were associated with comorbid conditions predisposing patients to multisystem organ failure despite successful repair. These temporal distinctions should guide future mechanistic and intervention evaluations to improve RAAA mortality.

Morphology-aware multi-source fusion-based intracranial aneurysms rupture prediction.

OBJECTIVES: We proposed a new approach to train deep learning model for aneurysm rupture prediction which only uses a limited amount of labeled data. METHOD: Using segmented aneurysm mask as input, a backbone model was pretrained using a self-supervised method to learn deep embeddings of aneurysm morphology from 947 unlabeled cases of angiographic images. Subsequently, the backbone model was finetuned using 120 labeled cases with known rupture status. Clinical information was integrated with deep embeddings to further improve prediction performance. The proposed model was compared with radiomics and conventional morphology models in prediction performance. An assistive diagnosis system was also developed based on the model and was tested with five neurosurgeons. RESULT: Our method achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.823, outperforming deep learning model trained from scratch (0.787). By integrating with clinical information, the proposed model's performance was further improved to AUC = 0.853, making the results significantly better than model based on radiomics (AUC = 0.805, p = 0.007) or model based on conventional morphology parameters (AUC = 0.766, p = 0.001). Our model also achieved the highest sensitivity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy among the others. Neurosurgeons' prediction performance was improved from AUC=0.877 to 0.945 (p = 0.037) with the assistive diagnosis system. CONCLUSION: Our proposed method could develop competitive deep learning model for rupture prediction using only a limited amount of data. The assistive diagnosis system could be useful for neurosurgeons to predict rupture. KEY POINTS: • A self-supervised learning method was proposed to mitigate the data-hungry issue of deep learning, enabling training deep neural network with a limited amount of data. • Using the proposed method, deep embeddings were extracted to represent intracranial aneurysm morphology. Prediction model based on deep embeddings was significantly better than conventional morphology model and radiomics model. • An assistive diagnosis system was developed using deep embeddings for case-based reasoning, which was shown to significantly improve neurosurgeons' performance to predict rupture.

Risk factors for aneurysm rupture among Kazakhs: findings from a national tertiary.

BACKGROUND: Rupture of intracranial aneurysms (RIA) leads to subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) with severe consequences. Although risks for RIA are established, the results vary between ethnic groups and were never studied in Kazakhstan. This study aimed to establish the risk factors of RIA in the Kazakh population.  METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 762 patients with single IAs, who attended the neurosurgical center from 2008 until 2018, was conducted. Demographic characteristics, such as age, sex, smoking status, and hypertension were considered. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed. A multivariable logistic regression model was built to identify factors correlated with RIA. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 48.49 ± 0.44 years old. The majority (68.37%) of IAs have ruptured. Of the ruptured aneurysms, 43.76% were < 6 mm, and 38.39% were located on the anterior cerebral and anterior communicating arteries (ACA). Logistic regression model indicates younger age group (16-40 years), smoking, having stage 3 hypertension, smaller IA size and its location on ACA increase the odds of rupture. CONCLUSIONS: This study has revealed that younger, smoking patients with stage 3 arterial hypertension are at higher risk for RIA. Small aneurysms (< 6 mm) and location on ACA had increased odds of rupture, while larger aneurysms on internal carotid arteries had lower odds.

Iliac Artery Aneurysms Expand in Quadratically Proportion to the Diameter.

BACKGROUND: Iliac artery aneurysms (IAAs) are life-threatening once ruptured. Although some studies have revealed the pathology of IAAs, clinical information on IAAs is still limited. Moreover, previous studies were conducted in Western countries; thus, we aimed to identify the natural history of iliac artery aneurysms in a Japanese cohort. The purpose of this study was to investigate the IAA expansion rate in a Japanese cohort to consider the management of small IAAs and to identify indications for surgical intervention. METHODS: Patients with iliac artery aneurysms were retrospectively reviewed. The primary outcome was the expansion rate of IAAs. We also investigated the correlation between expansion rate and patients' characteristics. Natural histories, including surgical interventions and rupture, were also assessed. RESULTS: The mean expansion rate in our study was 1.59 ± 1.16 mm/year. There was a positive correlation between expansion rate and aneurysm diameter, which was estimated by y = 0.0052 × (X - 23.270)2 + 0.0632 × X - 0.0517, where y is the expansion rate, and X is aneurysm diameter. The freedom from surgical intervention rate of IAAs was 85.5% at 1 year, 54.0% at 3 years, and 41.5% at 5 years. No factors, except initial aneurysm diameter, were revealed as independent predictors of surgical intervention. We experienced one ruptured IAA, which showed unexpected rapid growth from 30.1 mm to 56.3 mm over 15 months during conservative management. This case demonstrated that IAAs ≥30 mm should be carefully followed up and considered for surgical intervention. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that larger aneurysms have greater expansion rates. Because IAAs ≥30 mm carry a risk of rapid expansion resulting in rupture, careful follow-up, and surgical intervention should be performed if iliac artery aneurysms are ≥30 mm in diameter.

Pipeline flow diversion with adjunctive coil embolization for internal carotid artery aneurysms following an intradural component: results in 46 consecutive aneurysms from a Japanese single-center experience.

In the treatment of an intracranial aneurysm with the flow diverter, the combined use of coil embolization can help promote subsequent progressive thrombosis within the aneurysm sac and reduce the risk of delayed aneurysm rupture. This study retrospectively reviewed outcomes of patients who had undergone the Pipeline Embolization Device (PED) with adjunctive coil embolization (PED/coil) at a single center to determine its safety and efficiency. Patients with internal carotid artery aneurysms following an intradural component were selected for PED/coil between 2015 and 2020. All patients were premedicated with dual antiplatelet therapy of aspirin plus clopidogrel or prasugrel. A minimal number of PEDs were deployed, with coils inserted using a stent-jail technique, avoiding dense packing. A total of 46 aneurysms (43 patients; median dome size, 11.6 mm; median neck width, 6.3 mm) were treated with PED/coil. The median volume embolization ratio was 14.8%. The degree of angiographic filling at the 6-month and latest angiography showed complete occlusion in 60.5% (26/43) and 70.5% (31/44), respectively. Small (< 10 mm) aneurysms achieved a higher complete occlusion rate in the early period; a lower cumulative incidence of aneurysm occlusion was observed in large and giant (≥ 10 mm) aneurysms (P = .024). The median clinical follow-up was 22 months, and no aneurysm ruptures occurred. Favorable clinical outcomes were achieved, with permanent neurological morbidity of 4.7% and no mortality. PED/coil demonstrated a high angiographic occlusion rate at an early stage. Loosely packed coils are sufficient to obliterate aneurysms effectively.

Combination of Morphological and Hemodynamic Parameters for Assessing the Rupture Risk of Intracranial Aneurysms: A Retrospective Study on Mirror Middle Cerebral Artery Aneurysms.

Discordant findings were frequently reported by studies dedicated to exploring the association of morphological/hemodynamic factors with the rupture of intracranial aneurysms (IAs), probably owing to insufficient control of confounding factors. In this study, we aimed to minimize the influences of confounding factors by focusing IAs of interest on mirror aneurysms and, meanwhile, modeling IAs together with the cerebral arterial network to improve the physiological fidelity of hemodynamic simulation. Fifty-two mirror aneurysms located at the middle cerebral artery (MCA) in 26 patients were retrospectively investigated. Numerical tests performed on two randomly selected patients demonstrated that over truncation of cerebral arteries proximal to the MCA during image-based model reconstruction led to uncertain changes in computed values of intra-aneurysmal hemodynamic parameters, which justified the minimal truncation strategy adopted in our study. Five morphological parameters (i.e., volume (V), height (H), dome area (DA), nonsphericity index (NSI), and size ratio (SR)) and two hemodynamic parameters (i.e., peak wall shear stress (WSS) (peakWSS), and pressure loss coefficient (PLc)) were found to differ significantly between the ruptured and unruptured aneurysms and proved by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to have potential value for differentiating the rupture status of aneurysm with the areas under curve (AUCs) ranging from 0.681 to 0.763. Integrating V, SR, peakWSS, and PLc or some of them into regression models considerably improved the classification of aneurysms, elevating AUC up to 0.864, which indicates that morphological and hemodynamic parameters have complementary roles in assessing the risk of aneurysm rupture.

Contemporary Management of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) can carry extremely high mortality rates and most will only present with symptoms with impending rupture. We present an overview of management of this disease process starting with screening, to medical management, surveillance and treatment options currently available, as well as those being studied for future use. RECENT FINDINGS: Screening has been proven to reduce the mortality rate. There still remains a paucity of data to support medical therapies to help mitigate the rate of aneurysm growth and prevent rupture. However, on the topic of repair, there have been advancements in endovascular devices which have broadened the scope of treatment for patients with anatomy not amenable to standard endovascular repair or those who are not suitable candidates for open surgical repair. Appropriate surveillance, risk factor modification, and operative repair, when indicated, are the cornerstones of contemporary management of AAAs. Advancements in endovascular technologies have allowed us to treat more patients. Further research is warranted on non-operative medical therapies.

Review spontaneous superior mesenteric artery aneurysm rupture following caesarean section: an uncommon event and review of current literature.

Pregnancy-related rupture of an arterial aneurysm is an unusual occurrence associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Splenic artery aneurysms are the most common (60%), followed by hepatic (20%), superior mesenteric (5.9%), coeliac (4%), ovarian, uterine, and renal (<2%) arteries during pregnancy. Rupture of the superior mesenteric artery is uncommon. We present a case of a maternal death occurring after spontaneous rupture of a superior mesenteric artery after caesarean section. On the third day of post-operation, the woman presented with sudden onset of abdominal pain and collapse. At laparotomy she was found to have massive intraperitoneal bleeding because of superior mesenteric artery rupture.We report this case to increase awareness of superior mesenteric artery rupture during pregnancy, even during the postpartum period in patients presenting to the emergency service with haemorrhagic shock.

EVAR as a treatment option for high-risk nonagenarians with complicated abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a life-threatening disease, with an extremely high risk of death when ruptured. With the increase in life expectancy AAA is becoming more prevalent in aging patients. Elective and emergency procedures in elderly patients with AAA are becoming more common, but the indications for aortic repair and outcomes in geriatric patients are debatable. In our report, we present long-term results of a successful endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) of a ruptured juxtarenal aortic aneurysm complicated by hypovolemia and myocardial infarction in a 92-year-old patient. No endoleaks or bleedings were detected with CT angiography in the post-operative period. After two years following the procedure, the patient is doing well and can take care of himself; there was no disease progression as confirmed by ultrasonography. In conclusion, complicated abdominal aortic aneurysms in nonagenarians can be successfully treated by EVAR with fine long-term results.

Successful endovascular repair with coil embolization of ruptured right internal thoracic artery aneurysm.

Internal thoracic artery aneurysms (ITAAs) are rare with wide variation in clinical presentation and a high risk of rupture. Endovascular techniques are increasingly being used for treatment of such aneurysms over surgical repair in recent times. A 34-year-old male presented with progressive swelling of the right anterior chest wall for 2 weeks and was diagnosed with right internal thoracic artery aneurysm with contained rupture. He underwent successful endovascular repair with coil embolization of ruptured right ITAA. Post intervention computed tomography (CT) angiography confirmed sealing of the ruptured aneurysm with no residual filling of the sac. At six months follow-up he is doing well with complete resolution of hematoma. This case demonstrates that an endovascular approach with coil embolization is a feasible and safe option for treating the rare ruptured ITAAs.

Os aneurismas da artéria torácica interna (ITAAs) são raros, com ampla variação na apresentação clínica e alto risco de ruptura. As técnicas endovasculares têm sido cada vez mais utilizadas para o tratamento desses aneurismas em relação ao reparo cirúrgico. Um homem de 34 anos de idade apresentou edema progressivo da parede torácica anterior direita por 2 semanas e foi diagnosticado com aneurisma da artéria mamária interna direita com ruptura contida. Ele foi submetido a reparo endovascular bem-sucedido, com embolização de ITAA direito roto. A angiotomografia computadorizada (angioTC) pós-intervenção confirmou o selamento do aneurisma rompido, sem enchimento residual do saco. No seguimento de 6 meses, ele estava bem, com resolução completa do hematoma. Este caso demonstra que a abordagem endovascular com embolização com molas é uma opção viável e segura no tratamento dos raros ITAAs rotos.

CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND MORPHOLOGICAL PARAMETERS ASSOCIATED WITH RUPTURE OF ANTERIOR COMMUNICATING ARTERY ANEURYSMS.

We analyzed aneurysm morphology, demographic and clinical characteristics in patients with anterior communicating artery (ACoA) aneurysms to investigate the risk factors contributing to aneurysm rupture. A total of 219 patients with ACoA aneurysms were admitted to our hospital between January 2016 and December 2020, and morphological and clinical characteristics were analyzed retrospectively in 153 patients (112 ruptured and 41 unruptured). Medical records were reviewed to obtain demographic and clinical data on age, gender, presence of hemorrhage, history of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease. Morphological parameters examined on 3-dimensional digital subtraction angiography included aneurysm size, neck diameter, aspect ratio, size ratio, bottleneck ratio, height/width ratio, aneurysm angle, (in)flow angle, branching angle, number of aneurysms per patient, shape of the aneurysm, aneurysm wall morphology, variation of the A1 segment, and direction of the aneurysm. Male gender, aspect ratio, height/width ratio, non-spherical and irregular shape were associated with higher odds of rupture, whilst controlled hypertension was associated with lower odds of rupture, when tested using univariate logistic regression model. In multivariate model, controlled hypertension, presence of multiple aneurysms, and larger neck diameter reduced the odds of rupture, while irregular wall morphology increased the risk of rupture. Regulated hypertension represented a significant protective factor from ACoA aneurysm rupture. We found that ACoA aneurysms in male patients and those with greater aspect ratios and height/width ratios, larger aneurysm angles, presence of daughter sacs and irregular and non-spherical shapes were at a higher risk of rupture.

Risk Prediction of Cerebral Infarction after Anterior Circulation Aneurysm Rupture in an Under-Equipped Centre.

Background: Morbidity and mortality is high among aneurysm rupture patients. Despite surviving the initial rupture, morbidity is high as they suffer from vasospasm and cerebral infarction (CI). Most prediction tools for CI after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) are complex and are not routinely available in all neurosurgical centres. Current therapies for prevention of CI are still debatable and selective usage among high-risk patients is advised. These factors necessitate a simple prediction model for identifying patients in the high risk group to initiate early preventive treatment of CI. Methods: Patients with anterior circulation aneurysm rupture who underwent surgical clipping were included. Demographic data and factors related to CI were collected to determine significance and were used to develop VINODH score (VS). Results: Two hundred patients were included with a median age of 51 years old. Multivariate analysis proved only four predictors were significant (P < 0.01) for developing CI. These predictors were used for the development of VS which was named after the main author and the model's sensitivity was 79.0% and specificity was 83.0%. This highly predictive score (receiver operating characteristic [ROC]: 0.902) was internally validated. Conclusion: VS is a reliable tool for early identification of patients at risk of CI after aneurysmal SAH.