- Stent-Assisted Coil Embolization of Intracranial Aneurysms: Complications in Acutely Ruptured versus Unruptured Aneurysms
The authors evaluated complications in a cohort of 45 patients with acutely ruptured aneurysms and 47 with unruptured aneurysms. All were treated with stent-assisted coiling. The permanent complication rate in ruptured aneurysms was 11*. Five of 45 patients had an early rebleed from the treated aneurysm after 3–45 days, and in 4 this rebleed was fatal. Thromboembolic complications occurred in 2 patients with unruptured aneurysms. The authors conclude that the complication rate in ruptured aneurysms was 10 times higher than in unruptured aneurysms.
- Using Body Mass Index to Predict Needle Length in Fluoroscopy-Guided Lumbar Punctures
The authors evaluated patients who underwent oblique interlaminar-approach fluoroscopy-guided lumbar punctures and had cross-sectional imaging of the lumbar spine within 1 year of the lumbar puncture to devise a formula for the appropriate needle length based on BMI. They determined the formula to predict the needle length as Skin-Canal Distance (inches) = 0.077 x BMI + 0.88.
- Flow-Diverter Stents for the Treatment of Saccular Middle Cerebral Artery Bifurcation Aneurysms
Fourteen patients with 15 saccular, nondissecting MCA bifurcation aneurysms were treated with flow-diverter stents and were retrospectively analyzed. Procedure-related morbidity and mortality at last follow-up were 21% and 0%, respectively. Complete occlusion was achieved in 62%. The authors conclude that compared with other therapeutic options, flow-diverter stents do not appear to be suitable for the treatment of saccular MCA bifurcation aneurysms.