Combined standard bypass and parent artery occlusion for management of giant and complex internal carotid artery aneurysms

BackgroundComplex aneurysms do not have a standard protocol for treatment. In this study, we investigate the safety and efficacy of microsurgical revascularization combined with parent artery occlusion (PAO) in giant and complex internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysms.MethodsBetween 1998 and 2017, 41 patients with 47 giant and complex ICA aneurysms were treated by an a priori planned combined treatment strategy. Clinical and radiological outcomes were stratified according to mRS and Raymond classification. Bypass patency was assessed. Median follow-up time was 3.9 years.ResultsAfter successful STA–MCA bypass, staged endovascular (n=37) or surgical (n=1) PAO was executed in 38 patients following a negative balloon occlusion test. Intolerance to PAO led to stent/coil treatments in two patients. Perioperative bypass patency was confirmed in 100% of completed STA–MCA bypass procedures. Long-term overall bypass patency rate was 99%. Raymond 1 occlusion and good outcome were achieved in 95% and 97% (mRS 0–2) of cases, respectively. No procedure-related mortality was encountered. Eighty-four percent of patients with preoperative cranial nerve compression syndromes improved during follow-up.ConclusionsThe combined approach of STA-MCA bypass surgery followed by parent artery occlusion achieves high aneurysm occlusion and low morbidity rates in the management of giant and complex ICA aneurysms. This combined indirect approach represents a viable alternative to flow diversion in patients with cranial nerve compression syndromes or matricidal aneurysms, and may serve as a backup strategy in cases of peri-interventional complications or lack of suitable endovascular access.

Treatment of Peripheral Nerve Compression Syndromes of the Upper Extremities: a Systematic Review

Background Nerve compression syndromes are referred to as chronic irritation or pressure palsies of peripheral nerves in areas of preformed anatomical constriction. Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common nerve compression syndrome, followed by cubital tunnel syndrome. In addition, less frequent nerve compression syndromes of the upper extremities that affect the median, ulnar or radial nerves have been described. This review provides an overview of current treatment options for nerve compression syndromes of the upper extremities. Study Design Systematic overview. Methods Based on established national (AWMF) and international guidelines as well as the Cochrane Library, we performed a systematic literature search on PubMed (NLM), focusing on randomised controlled trials. Results Over the research period (2012 – 2020), there were 43 randomised trials that investigated surgical carpal tunnel release methods, 68 that compared different conservative therapies and 12 that compared surgical versus conservative treatments. Furthermore, eight studies analysed surgical techniques and four analysed conservative techniques for cubital tunnel syndrome. No randomised trials were conducted on the less common peripheral nerve compression syndromes, but case reports and observational studies were conducted. Conclusion For carpal and cubital tunnel syndromes, there are evidence-based diagnostic methods as well as therapeutic recommendations based on randomised and controlled trials. When diagnosis is made after clinical examination and supported by radiological and electrophysiological evaluation, surgical treatment is considered superior to conservative treatment. In particular, excellent long-term results can be achieved by surgery for carpal and cubital tunnel syndromes. More controlled studies are needed to establish evidence-based therapeutic recommendations for the less common nerve compression syndromes, which are somewhat controversially and inconsistently defined.

The role of ultrasound imaging in vascular compression syndromes

Vascular compression syndromes are rare alterations that have in common the compression of an arterial and/or venous vessel by contiguous structures and can be congenital or acquired. The best known are the Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Nutcracker Syndrome, May–Thurner Syndrome, and Dunbar Syndrome. The incidence of these pathologies is certainly underestimated due to the non-specific clinical signs and their frequent asymptomaticity. Being a first-level method, Ultrasound plays a very important role in identifying these alterations, almost always allowing a complete diagnostic classification. If in expert hands, this method can significantly contribute to the reduction of false negatives, especially in the asymptomatic population, where the finding of the aforementioned pathologies often happens randomly following routine checks. In this review, we briefly discuss the best known vascular changes, the corresponding ultrasound anatomy, and typical ultrasound patterns.

Microsurgical resection of unruptured cerebellar arteriovenous malformation presenting with trigeminal neuralgia

Cerebellar arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) represent 10%–15% of all intracranial AVMs and are associated with a greater risk for hemorrhagic presentation compared with supratentorial AVMs. When they reach the cerebellopontine angle cistern, neurovascular compression syndromes, including trigeminal neuralgia and hemifacial spasm, can occur. Due to the aggressive natural history of cerebellar AVM, an effective treatment strategy is required. In this video, the authors demonstrate the technical nuances of microsurgical resection of an unruptured cerebellar AVM in a 24-year-old female presenting with trigeminal neuralgia. The patient underwent right retrosigmoid craniotomy and complete resection of the AVM with resolution of trigeminal neuralgia.The video can be found here: https://youtu.be/6GmNjgFQwx8