gms | German Medical Science

58. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e. V. (DGNC)

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie (DGNC) e. V.

26. bis 29.04.2007, Leipzig

Transnasal coil dislocation after endovascular treatment of a false internal carotid artery aneurysm after transsphenoidal pituitary surgery: Neurosurgical considerations

Transnasale Coildislokation nach endovaskulärer Therapie eines durch eine Hypophysenoperation verursachten Pseudoaneurysmas der Arteria carotis interna: Neurochirurgische Managementstrategie

Meeting Abstract

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  • corresponding author J. Schröer - Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Abteilung Neurochirurgie
  • M. Knauth - Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Abteilung Neuroradiologie
  • V. Rohde - Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Abteilung Neurochirurgie

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. 58. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e.V. (DGNC). Leipzig, 26.-29.04.2007. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2007. DocP 067

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/dgnc2007/07dgnc322.shtml

Published: April 11, 2007

© 2007 Schröer et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.


Outline

Text

Objective: The occurrence of a false aneurysm of the extradural internal carotid artery (ICA) following transsphenoidal pituitary surgery is a rare, but often life-threatening complication. In cases of massive epistaxis, endovascular occlusion of the ICA often is the only therapeutic option. However, as ICA occlusion carries a significant risk of hemispheric infarction, alternative endovascular procedures leaving the parent vessel open had been attempted. We report a rare complication of stenting and coiling of a false ICA aneurysm and our neurosurgical management strategy.

Methods: A 39-year-old male patient underwent a transsphenoidal pituitary operation. After uneventful surgery, a massive epistaxis occurred on day 1 after operation. Emergent angiography revealed a false 1.5 cm ICA aneurysm protruding into the sphenoid sinus, which was successfully treated by ICA stenting and coiling. The patient came to re-admission with a transnasal dislocation of the coils. Angiography excluded the re-occurrence of the false aneurysm despite coil dislocation.

Results: Simple cutting of the protruding coils was considered not to be effective to prevent further loosening of the coil basket. As no residual aneurysm was seen on angiography, the transsphenoidal route was taken again, and the coils were sharply cut down to the level of the former aneurysm neck. Extraction of the coils as well as removal of coil stumps at the neck were avoided to prevent weakening of the damaged ICA wall. Transoronasal coil dislocation did not occur again, and repeated angiography ruled out aneurysm re-growth.

Conclusions: Stenting and coiling allows to control false ICA aneurysms after during pituitary surgery without sacrifice of the parent vessel. However, false aneurysms do not have a true dome, and apical coil dislocation is a potential complication. We describe how such a complication could be managed successfully.