Neuroprotective effect of bispectral index-guided fast-track anesthesia using sevoflurane combined with dexmedetomidine for intracranial aneurysm embolization

Dexmedetomidine has sedative, anxiolytic, analgesic, anti-sympathetic, and anti-shivering effects. Dexmedetomidine might be effective in combination with sevoflurane for anesthesia, but prospective randomized controlled clinical trials with which to verify this hypothesis are lacking. In total, 120 patients who underwent embolization of an intracranial aneurysm were recruited from Anhui Provincial Hospital and Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University of China and randomly allocated to two groups. After intraoperative administration of 2% to 3% sevoflurane inhalation, one group of patients received pump-controlled intravenous injection of 1.0 ~tg/kg dexmedetomidine for 15 minutes followed by maintenance with 0.3 ~tg/kg/h until the end of surgery; the other group of patients only underwent pump-controlled infusion of saline. Bispectral index monitoring revealed that dexmedetomidine-assisted anesthesia can shorten the recovery time of spon- taneous breathing, time to eye opening, and time to laryngeal mask removal. Before anesthetic induction and immediately after laryngeal mask airway removal, the glucose and lactate levels were low, the S100~ and neuron-specific enolase levels were low, the perioperative blood pressure and heart rate were stable, and postoperative delirium was minimal. These findings indicate that dexmedetomidine can effectively assist sevoflurane for anesthesia during surgical embolization of intracranial aneurysms, shorten the time to consciousness and extubation, reduce the stress response and energy metabolism, stabilize hemodynamic parameters, and reduce adverse reactions, thereby reducing the damage to the central nervous system. This trial was registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry （http：//www.chictr.org. cn/） （registration number： ChiCTR-IPR- 16008113）.

Clinical evaluation of timing of endovascular embolization treatment for intracranial aneurysm

Objective To evaluate the effects of endovascular embolization treatment for intracranial aneurysms in different time. Methods The clinical data of 165 cases of ruptured intracranial aneurysm treated by endovascular treatment were analysed retrospectively. The patients were divided into 3 groups accrodding to

Safety and efficacy of stent placement for treatment of intracranial aneurysms： a systematic review

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of stent placement for the treatment of complex intracranial aneurysms. Data sources We searched six databases, including Pubmed, Embase, SCI-expanded, the Cochrane Library, ISI Proceedings and ProQuest Dissertations ＆ Theses for the relevant studies using multiple key words from December, 1997 to February, 2009. Study selection Thirty-three studies about stent placement for intracranial aneurysms were identified, which reported data from a total of 1069 patients with 1121 intracranial aneurysms. Data extraction We prepared a standardized data extraction form （DEF）, which was used by two independent researchers to extract data from the included 33 studies. Results The overall initial complete occlusion rate was 52.5% （456/869, 95% CI： 49.2%-55.8%）. The overall complication rate was 14.3% （162/1130, 95% CI： 12.3%-16.4%）, of which 3.6% （38/1044, 95% CI： 2.5%-4.8%） were permanent. Clinical follow-up showed a dependence rate of 8.4% （39/465, 95% CI： 5.9%-10.9%）. Angiographic follow-up showed an improvement rate of 24.3% （117/481, 95% CI： 20.5%-28.2%） and a recurrence rate of 12.9% （62/481, 95% CI： 9.9%-15.9%）. Chi-squared tests were performed to compare the following subgroups： self-expandable vs. balloon-expandable stents, unruptured vs. acutely ruptured aneurysms, and with vs. without pre-medication. Statistical significance was reached in eight tests. Conclusions Intracranial stent is a safe and effective tool for embolizing complex intracranial aneurysms. Self-expandable stents are significantly easier and safer than balloon-expandable stents with respect to navigation and deployment through the tortuous cerebral vasculature. Patients with acutely ruptured aneurysms are more likely to be dependent, but not more likelv to suffer more orocedure-related comolications.

Combined stent and coil in endovascular treatment of intracranial wide-necked and fusiform aneurysms

Background Wide-necked and fusiform aneurysms are challenges for interventional neuroradiologists and neurosurgeons since they may involve entire vessels or be irregular in shape,making is possible for Guglielmi detachable coil to protrude into the parent arteries. This study was to evaluate the endovascular treatment of intracranial wide-necked and fusiform aneurysms by using a combination of stents and coils. Methods From October 2000 to July 2001,eighteen patients with intracranial wide-necked or fusiform aneurysms were treated with intraluminal stenting in combination with endosaccular coiling. Results Stent placement and coil packing were technically successful in all patients. There were no complications related to the procedure except for the migration of the stent in four cases. The aneurysms were embolized with the coils after precise stenting,and total occlusion was obtained in 13 cases,neck remnants in 3,and loose occlusion in 2. All the patients recovered well. Short-term follow-up angiograms suggested patency of the parent arteries without recanalization. Conclusions A combination of endovascular stenting and coil packing may be a favorable alternative for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms that are unsuitable for surgical clipping or coil embolization. Further study is necessary to assess the long-term outcome.