Search

Purpose: Intracranial aneurysms present significant health risks, as their rupture leads to subarachnoid haemorrhage, which in turn has high morbidity and mortality rates. There are several elements affecting the complexity of an intracranial aneurysm. However, criteria for defining a complex intracranial aneurysm (CIA) in open surgery and endovascular treatment could differ, and actually there is no consensus on the definition of a "complex" aneurysm. This DELPHI study aims to assess consensus on variables defining a CIA., Methods: An international panel of 50 members, representing various specialties, was recruited to define CIAs through a three-round Delphi process. The panelists participated in surveys with Likert scale responses and open-ended questions. Consensus criteria were established to determine CIA variables, and statistical analysis evaluated consensus and stability., Results: In open surgery, CIAs were defined by fusiform or blister-like shape, dissecting aetiology, giant size (≥ 25 mm), broad neck encasing parent arteries, extensive neck surface, wall calcification, intraluminal thrombus, collateral branch from the sac, location (AICA, SCA, basilar), vasospasm context, and planned bypass (EC-IC or IC-IC). For endovascular treatment, CIAs included giant size, very wide neck (dome/neck ratio ≤ 1:1), and collateral branch from the sac., Conclusions: The definition of aneurysm complexity varies by treatment modality. Since elements related to complexity differ between open surgery and endovascular treatment, these consensus criteria of CIAs could even guide in selecting the best treatment approach., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The CLinical Assessment of WEB device in Ruptured aneurYSms (CLARYS) study has shown that the endovascular treatment of ruptured bifurcation aneurysms with the Woven EndoBridge (WEB) is safe and effective and provides protection against rebleeding at 1 month and 1 year. The 12-month angiographic follow-up is an important endpoint of the study., Methods: The CLARYS study is a prospective multicenter study conducted in 13 European centers. The study enrolled 60 patients with 60 ruptured aneurysms of the anterior and posterior circulation. The study was conducted with an independent assessment of safety outcomes and imaging., Results: Sixty patients with 60 ruptured bifurcation aneurysms to be treated with the WEB were included. Fifty-three aneurysms (88.3%) had a broad base with a dome to neck ratio <2 (mean 1.6). Of these, 46 patients were evaluated by an independent core laboratory with follow-up imaging performed at 12 months or before eventual retreatment. At 1 year, 19/46 aneurysms (41.3%) were completely occluded (Raymond-Roy grade I), 21/46 (45.7%) had a residual neck and 6/46 (13.0%) had residual aneurysm filling. Adequate occlusion was reported in 40/46 (87%) aneurysms. Six patients underwent target aneurysm retreatment., Conclusions: The CLARYS study has previously shown that the use of the WEB in the endovascular treatment of ruptured bifurcation aneurysms provides effective protection against rebleeding with a good safety profile. The angiographic occlusion rates at 1 year reported here are comparable to those already seen in previous multicenter studies which primarily included unruptured aneurysms., Competing Interests: Competing interests: JF is an associate editor of the Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery. MM is a member of the editorial board of Neuroradiology., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Geometrical parameters, including arterial bifurcation angle, tortuosity, and arterial diameters, have been associated with the pathophysiology of intracranial aneurysm (IA) formation. The aim of this study was to investigate whether these parameters were present before or if they resulted from IA formation and growth., Methods: Patients from nine academic centers were retrospectively identified if they presented with a de novo IA or a significant IA growth on subsequent imaging. For each patient, geometrical parameters were extracted using a semi-automated algorithm and compared between bifurcations with IA formation or growth (aneurysmal group), and their contralateral side without IA (control group). These parameters were compared at two different times using univariable models, multivariable models, and a sensitivity analysis with paired comparison., Results: 46 patients were included with 21 de novo IAs (46%) and 25 significant IA growths (54%). The initial angle was not different between the aneurysmal and control groups (129.7±42.1 vs 119.8±34.3; p=0.264) but was significantly wider at the final stage (140.4±40.9 vs 121.5±34.1; p=0.032), with a more important widening of the aneurysmal angle (10.8±15.8 vs 1.78±7.38; p=0.001). Variations in other parameters were not significant. These results were confirmed by paired comparisons., Conclusion: Our study suggests that wider bifurcation angles that have long been deemed causal factors for IA formation or growth may be secondary to IA formation at pathologic bifurcation sites. This finding has implications for our understanding of IA formation pathophysiology., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: In first-degree relatives of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), the risk of an intracranial aneurysm can be predicted at initial screening but not at follow-up screening. We aimed to develop a model for predicting the probability of a new intracranial aneurysm after initial screening in people with a positive family history of aSAH., Methods: In a prospective study, we obtained data from follow-up screening for aneurysms of 499 subjects with ≥2 affected first-degree relatives. Screening took place at the University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands, and the University Hospital of Nantes, France. We studied associations between potential predictors and the presence of aneurysms using Cox regression analysis and the predictive performance at 5, 10, and 15 years after initial screening using C statistics and calibration plots, while correcting for overfitting., Results: In 5050 person-years of follow-up, intracranial aneurysms were found in 52 subjects. The risk of aneurysm at 5 years was 2% to 12%, at 10 years, 4% to 28%, and at 15 years, 7% to 40%. Predictors were female sex, history of intracranial aneurysms/aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, and older age. The sex, previous history of intracranial aneurysm/aSAH, older age score had a C statistic of 0.70 (95% CI, 0.61-0.78) at 5 years, 0.71 (95% CI, 0.64-0.78) at 10 years, and 0.70 (95% CI, 0.63-0.76) at 15 years and showed good calibration., Conclusions: The sex, previous history of intracranial aneurysm/aSAH, older age score provides risk estimates for finding new intracranial aneurysms at 5, 10, and 15 years after initial screening, based on 3 easily retrievable predictors; this can help to define a personalized screening strategy after initial screening in people with a positive family history for aSAH.

Background: One limitation of the endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms is aneurysm recanalization. The Analysis of Recanalization after Endovascular Treatment of intracranial Aneurysm (ARETA) study is a prospective multicenter cohort study evaluating the factors associated with recanalization after endovascular treatment., Methods: The current analysis is focused on patients treated by coiling or balloon-assisted coiling (BAC). Postoperative, mid-term vascular imaging, and evolution of aneurysm occlusion were independently evaluated by two neuroradiologists. A 3-grade scale was used for aneurysm occlusion (complete occlusion, neck remnant, and aneurysm remnant) and for occlusion evolution (improved, stable, and worsened). Recanalization was defined as any worsening of aneurysm occlusion., Results: Between December 2013 and May 2015, 16 French neurointerventional departments enrolled 1289 patients. A total of 945 aneurysms in 908 patients were treated with coiling or BAC. The overall rate of aneurysm recanalization at mid-term follow-up was 29.5% (95% CI 26.6% to 32.4%): 28.9% and 30.3% in the coiling and BAC groups, respectively. In multivariate analyses factors independently associated with recanalization were current smoking (36.6% in current smokers vs 24.5% in current non-smokers (OR 1.8 (95% CI 1.3 to 2.4); p=0.0001), ruptured status (31.9% in ruptured aneurysms vs 25.1% in unruptured (OR 1.5 (95% CI 1.1 to 2.1); p=0.006), aneurysm size ≥10 mm (48.8% vs 26.5% in aneurysms <10 mm (OR 2.6 (95% CI 1.8 to 3.9); p<0.0001), wide neck (32.1% vs 25.8% in narrow neck (OR 1.5 (95% CI 1.1 to 2.1); p=0.02), and MCA location (34.3% vs 28.3% in other locations (OR 1.5 (95% CI 1.0 to 2.1); p=0.04)., Conclusions: Several factors are identified by the ARETA study as playing a role in aneurysm recanalization after coiling: current smoking, aneurysm status (ruptured), aneurysm size (≥10 mm), neck size (wide neck), and aneurysm location (middle cerebral artery). This finding has important consequences in clinical practice., Trial Registration Number: URL: http://www., Clinicaltrials: gov; Unique Identifier: NCT01942512., Competing Interests: Competing interests: LP: Support for the present manuscript from the French Ministry of Health (institutional); Consulting fees from Balt, Microvention, Perflow, Phenox, Vesalio; Payment or honoraria for lectures, presentations, speakers bureaus, manuscript writing or educational events from Balt, Microvention, Perflow, Phenox; Support for attending meetings and/or travel from Balt, Microvention, Phenox. CC: Payment or honoraria for lectures, presentations, speakers bureaus, manuscript writing or educational events from Medtronic, Microvention, MIVI, Stryker. MA: Grants or contracts from Medtronic, Cerenovus, Balt, Cerus, Stryker; Consulting fees from Medtronic, Cerenovus, Balt, Cerus, Stryker; Payment or honoraria for lectures, presentations, speakers bureaus, manuscript writing or educational events from Medtronic, Cerenovus, Balt, Cerus, Stryker; Payment for expert testimony from Cerenovus; Support for attending meetings and/or travel from Medtronic, Cerenovus, Balt, Cerus, Stryker; Participation to DSMB or AB from Cerenovus. GM: Payment or honoraria for lectures, presentations, speakers bureaus, manuscript writing or educational events from Medtronic, Microvention. NS: Consulting fees from Medtronic, Balt; Support for attending meetings and/or travel from Balt, Cerus, Stryker. CP: payment or honoraria for lectures, presentations, speakers bureaus, manuscript writing or educational events from Microvention. LS: Grants or contracts from Philips (institutional); Consulting fees from Balt, Medtronic, Phenox, Microvention, Stryker; Payment or honoraria for lectures, presentations, speakers bureaus, manuscript writing or educational events from Medtronic, Balt, Microvention, Stryker; Support for attending meetings and/or travel from Balt, Medtronic, Microvention, Stryker. PW: Support for the present manuscript from the French Ministry of Health (institutional); Grants or contracts from Medtronic, Stryker, Penumbra (institutional); Consulting fees from Microvention-Terumo; Participation to DSMB or AB from Mr-Clean Direct, TENSION, Protect-U. PW is a chairperson for UK Neurointerventional group and JNIS associate editor., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: The primary goal of the CLARYS study is to assess the protection against rebleeding when treating ruptured bifurcation aneurysms with the Woven EndoBridge (WEB) device., Methods: The CLARYS study is a prospective, multicenter study conducted in 13 European centers. Patients with ruptured bifurcation aneurysms were consecutively included between February 2016 and September 2017. The primary endpoint was defined as the rebleeding rate of the target aneurysm treated with the WEB within 30 days postprocedure. Secondary endpoints included periprocedural and postprocedural adverse events, total procedure and fluoroscopy times, and modified Rankin Scale score at 1 month and 1 year., Results: Sixty patients with 60 ruptured bifurcation aneurysms to be treated with the WEB were included. A WEB device was successfully implanted in 93.3%. The rebleeding rate at 1 month and 1 year was 0%. The mean fluoroscopy time was 27.0 min. Twenty-three periprocedural complications were observed in 18 patients and resolved without sequelae in 16 patients. Two of these complications were attributed to the procedure and/or the use of the WEB, leading to a procedure/device-related intraoperative complication rate of 3.3%. Overall mortality at 1 month and 1 year was 1.7% and 3.8%, respectively and overall morbidity at 1 month and 1 year was 15% and 9.6%, respectively. WEB-related 1-month and 1-year morbidity and mortality was 0%., Conclusions: The interim results of CLARYS show that the endovascular treatment of ruptured bifurcation aneurysms with the WEB is safe and effective and, in particular, provides effective protection against rebleeding. It may induce profound change in the endovascular management of ruptured bifurcation aneurysms., Competing Interests: Competing interests: JF acts as associate editor of the Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery; MM acts as a member of the editorial board of Neuroradiology. LS: consultant for Microvention, Balt, Phenox, Stryker, Medtronic, PI for CLARYS, grant or contract from Philips with institution; DH: consultant for Microvention; XB: consultant for Microvention; JF: Consultant for Medtronic, Microvention, and Cerus; VCo: consultant for Microvention, educational grant and research grant with payment to institution; TL: consultant for Microvention/Sequent Medical, Stryker, Medtronic, and Cerus; MM: consultant and expert testimony for Medtronic, Microvention, and Stryker with payment to institution; WW: payment or honoraria for proctoring and lectures from Microvention; CC: consultant for Microvention, MIVI, Stryker, and Cerenovus; J-HB: payment or honoraria for proctoring and lectures from Microvention; MB: consultant for Microvention, Cerenovus, Acandis, and Rapid; GB: support for travel from Microvention; SF: honoraria for lecture and data preparations regarding WEB; AB: consultant for Microvention; JM: consultant for Microvention. LP: consultant for Microvention, Balt, Perflow, Phenox, Vesalio, clinical event adjudicator for CLARYS; JBy: core laboratory reviewer for CLARYS., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Persons with a positive family history of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage are at increased risk of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Preventive screening for intracranial aneurysms (IAs) in these persons is cost-effective but not very efficient. We aimed to develop and externally validate a model for predicting the probability of an IA at first screening in persons with a positive family history of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage., Methods: For model development, we studied results from initial screening for IA in 660 prospectively collected persons with ≥2 affected first-degree relatives screened at the University Medical Center Utrecht. For validation, we studied results from 258 prospectively collected persons screened in the University Hospital of Nantes. We assessed potential predictors of IA presence in multivariable logistic regression analysis. Predictive performance was assessed with the C statistic and a calibration plot and corrected for overfitting., Results: IA were present in 79 (12%) persons in the development cohort. Predictors were number of affected relatives, age, smoking, and hypertension (NASH). The NASH score had a C statistic of 0.68 (95% CI, 0.62-0.74) and showed good calibration in the development data. Predicted probabilities of an IA at first screening varied from 5% in persons aged 20 to 30 years with two affected relatives, without hypertension who never smoked, up to 36% in persons aged 60 to 70 years with ≥3 affected relatives, who have hypertension and smoke(d). In the external validation data IA were present in 67 (26%) persons, the model had a C statistic of 0.64 (95% CI, 0.57-0.71) and slightly underestimated IAs risk., Conclusions: For persons with ≥2 affected first-degree relatives, the NASH score improves current predictions and provides risk estimates for an IA at first screening between 5% and 36% based on 4 easily retrievable predictors. With the information such persons can now make a better informed decision about whether or not to undergo preventive screening.

Background: Coiling, including balloon-assisted coiling (BAC), is the first-line therapy for ruptured and unruptured aneurysms. Its efficacy can be clinically evaluated by bleeding/rebleeding rate after coiling, and anatomically evaluated by aneurysm occlusion post-procedure and during follow-up. We aimed to analyze immediate post-coiling aneurysm occlusion and associated factors within the Analysis of Recanalization after Endovascular Treatment of intracranial Aneurysm (ARETA) population., Methods: Between December 2013 and May 2015, 16 neurointerventional departments prospectively enrolled participants treated for ruptured and unruptured aneurysms (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01942512). Participant demographics, aneurysm characteristics, and endovascular techniques were recorded. In patients with aneurysms treated by coiling or BAC, immediate post-operative aneurysm occlusion was independently evaluated by a core lab using a 3-grade scale: complete occlusion, neck remnant, and aneurysm remnant., Results: Of 1135 participants (age 53.8±12.8 years, 754 women (66.4%)), 1189 aneurysms were analyzed. Treatment modality was standard coiling in 645/1189 aneurysms (54.2%) and BAC in 544/1189 (45.8%). Immediate post-operative aneurysm occlusion was complete occlusion in 57.8%, neck remnant in 34.4%, and aneurysm remnant in 7.8%. Adequate occlusion (complete occlusion or neck remnant) was significantly more frequent in aneurysms with size <10 mm (93.1% vs 86.3%; OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1 to 3.2; p=0.02) and in aneurysms with a narrow neck (95.8% vs 89.6%; OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.5 to 4.1; p=0.0004). Patients aged <70 years had significantly more adequate occlusion (92.7% vs 87.2%; OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1 to 3.4; p=0.04)., Conclusions: Immediately after aneurysm coiling, including BAC, adequate aneurysm occlusion was obtained in 92.2%. Age <70 years, aneurysm size <10 mm, and narrow neck were factors associated with adequate occlusion., Trial Registration Number: NCT01942512, http://www.clinicaltrials.gov., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Coiling is the first-line treatment for the management of unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs), but delayed thromboembolic events (TEEs) can occur after such treatment. ARETA (Analysis of Recanalization after Endovascular Treatment of Intracranial Aneurysm) is a prospective multicenter study conducted to analyze aneurysm recanalization. We analyzed delayed TEEs in the UIA subgroup., Methods: Sixteen neurointerventional departments prospectively enrolled patients treated for ruptured and unruptured aneurysms between December 2013 and May 2015. Participant demographics, aneurysm characteristics, and endovascular techniques were recorded. Data were analyzed from participants with UIA treated by coiling or balloon-assisted coiling. We assessed the rates, timing, management, clinical outcomes, and risk factors for delayed TEEs using univariable and multivariable analyses., Results: The rate of delayed TEEs was 2.4% (95% CI 1.0% to 4.6%) in patients with unruptured aneurysms, with all events occurring in the week following the procedure. In multivariate analysis, two factors were associated with delayed TEEs: autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD): 20.0% in patients with ADPKD vs 1.9% in patients without ADPKD (OR 27.3 (95% CI 3.9 to 190.2), p=0.0008) and post-procedure aneurysm remnant: 9.4% in patients with post-procedure aneurysm remnant vs 1.6% in patients with adequate occlusion (OR 9.9 (95% CI 1.0 to 51.3), p=0.006). We describe modalities of management as well as clinical outcomes., Conclusions: Delayed TEE is a relatively rare complication after coiling of UIAs. In this series, all occurred in the week following the initial procedure. Two factors were associated with delayed TEE: ADPKD and aneurysm remnant at procedure completion., Clinical Trial Registration: NCT01942512., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background and Purpose: The ever-growing availability of imaging led to increasing incidentally discovered unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs). We leveraged machine-learning techniques and advanced statistical methods to provide new insights into rupture intracranial aneurysm (RIA) risks., Methods: We analysed the characteristics of 2505 patients with intracranial aneurysms (IA) discovered between 2016 and 2019. Baseline characteristics, familial history of IA, tobacco and alcohol consumption, pharmacological treatments before the IA diagnosis, cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities, headaches, allergy and atopy, IA location, absolute IA size and adjusted size ratio (aSR) were analysed with a multivariable logistic regression (MLR) model. A random forest (RF) method globally assessed the risk factors and evaluated the predictive capacity of a multivariate model., Results: Among 994 patients with RIA (39.7%) and 1511 patients with UIA (60.3 %), the MLR showed that IA location appeared to be the most significant factor associated with RIA (OR, 95% CI: internal carotid artery, reference; middle cerebral artery, 2.72, 2.02-3.58; anterior cerebral artery, 4.99, 3.61-6.92; posterior circulation arteries, 6.05, 4.41-8.33). Size and aSR were not significant factors associated with RIA in the MLR model and antiplatelet-treatment intake patients were less likely to have RIA (OR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.55-0.98). IA location, age, following by aSR were the best predictors of RIA using the RF model., Conclusions: The location of IA is the most consistent parameter associated with RIA. The use of 'artificial intelligence' RF helps to re-evaluate the contribution and selection of each risk factor in the multivariate model., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Endovascular treatment is the first line therapy for the management of ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms, but delayed aneurysm rupture leading to bleeding/rebleeding can occur subsequently. ARETA (Analysis of Recanalization after Endovascular Treatment of intracranial Aneurysm) is a prospective, multicenter study conducted to analyze aneurysm recanalization. We analyzed delayed bleeding and rebleeding in this large cohort., Methods: 16 neurointerventional departments prospectively enrolled patients treated for ruptured and unruptured aneurysms between December 2013 and May 2015 (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01942512). Participant demographics, aneurysm characteristics and endovascular techniques were recorded. Data were analyzed from participants with ruptured or unruptured aneurysms treated by coiling or balloon-assisted coiling. Rates of bleeding and rebleeding were analyzed and associated factors were studied using univariable and multivariable analyses., Results: The bleeding rate was 0.0% in patients with unruptured aneurysms and 1.0% (95% CI 0.3% to 1.7%) in patients with ruptured aneurysms. In multivariate analysis, two factors were associated with rebleeding occurrence: incomplete aneurysm occlusion after initial treatment (2.0% in incomplete aneurysm occlusion vs 0.2% in complete aneurysm occlusion, OR 10.2, 95% CI 1.2 to 83.3; p=0.03) and dome-to-neck ratio (1.5±0.5 with rebleeding vs 2.2±0.9 without rebleeding, OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.8; p=0.03). Modalities of management of aneurysm rebleeding as well as clinical outcomes are described., Conclusions: Aneurysm coiling affords good protection against bleeding (for unruptured aneurysms) and rebleeding (for ruptured aneurysms) at 1 year with rates of 0.0% and 1.0%, respectively. Aneurysm occlusion and dome-to-neck ratio are the two factors that appear to play a role in the occurrence of rebleeding., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Rupture of an intracranial aneurysm leads to subarachnoid hemorrhage, a severe type of stroke. To discover new risk loci and the genetic architecture of intracranial aneurysms, we performed a cross-ancestry, genome-wide association study in 10,754 cases and 306,882 controls of European and East Asian ancestry. We discovered 17 risk loci, 11 of which are new. We reveal a polygenic architecture and explain over half of the disease heritability. We show a high genetic correlation between ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms. We also find a suggestive role for endothelial cells by using gene mapping and heritability enrichment. Drug-target enrichment shows pleiotropy between intracranial aneurysms and antiepileptic and sex hormone drugs, providing insights into intracranial aneurysm pathophysiology. Finally, genetic risks for smoking and high blood pressure, the two main clinical risk factors, play important roles in intracranial aneurysm risk, and drive most of the genetic correlation between intracranial aneurysms and other cerebrovascular traits.

Background: In the absence of randomized evidence, the optimal management of patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIA) remains uncertain., Methods: Comprehensive Aneurysm Management (CAM) is an all-inclusive care trial combined with a registry. Any patient with a UIA (no history of intracranial hemorrhage within the previous 30 days) can be recruited, and treatment allocation will follow an algorithm combining clinical judgment and randomization. Patients eligible for at least 2 management options will be randomly allocated 1:1 to conservative or curative treatment. Minimization will be used to balance risk factors, using aneurysm size (≥7 mm), location (anterior or posterior circulation), and age <60 years., Results: The CAM primary outcome is survival without neurologic dependency (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score <3) at 10 years. Secondary outcome measures include the incidence of subarachnoid hemorrhage during follow-up and related morbidity and mortality; morbidity and mortality related to endovascular treatment or surgical treatment of the UIA at 1 year; overall morbidity and mortality at 1, 5, and 10 years; when relevant, duration of hospitalization; and, when relevant, discharge to a location other than home. The primary hypothesis for patients randomly allocated to at least 2 options, 1 of which is conservative management, is that active UIA treatment will reduce the 10-year combined neurologic morbidity and mortality (mRS score >2) from 24% to 16%. At least 961 patients recruited from at least 20 centers over 4 years will be needed for the randomized portion of the study., Conclusions: Patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms can be comprehensively managed within the context of an all-inclusive care trial., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

An aneurysm is a vascular disorder where ballooning may form in a weakened section of the wall in the blood vessel. The swelling of the aneurysm may lead to its rupture. Intra-cranial aneurysms are the ones presenting the higher risks. If ruptured, the aneurysm may induce a subarachnoid haemorrhage which could lead to premature death or permanent disability. In this study, we are interested in locating and characterizing the bifurcations of the cerebral vascular tree. We use a 3D skeletonization combined with a graph-based approach to detect the bifurcations. In this work, we thus propose a full geometric characterisation of the bifurcations and related arteries. Aside from any genetic predisposition and environmental risk factors, the geometry of the brain vasculature may influence the chance of aneurysm formation. Among the main achievements, in this paper, we propose accurate, predictive 3D measurements of the bifurcations and we furthermore estimate the risk of occurrence of an aneurysm on a given bifurcation., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Woven EndoBridge (WEB; Sequent Medical) treatment is an innovative endovascular approach for treatment of wide-neck bifurcation aneurysms. Initial studies have shown high safety with good efficacy at short term confirmed by trials conducted in United States (WEB-Intrasaccular Therapy) and in Europe (WEB Clinical Assessment of Intrasaccular Aneurysm Therapy [WEBCAST], French Observatory, and WEBCAST-2)., Objective: To report the 2-yr clinical and anatomical results of WEB treatment in the combined population of 3 European trials., Methods: In a French Observatory, 2-yr clinical and anatomical data were collected. In WEBCAST and WEBCAST-2, 2-yr follow-up was optional, and data were collected when follow-up was performed. Aneurysm occlusion was evaluated using a 3-grade scale: complete occlusion, neck remnant, and aneurysm remnant., Results: The population for safety was 138/168 patients (82.1%), including 89 females (64.5%), with mean age of 55.5 ± 10.2 yr. The population for efficacy was 121/169 aneurysms (71.6%). Aneurysm locations were middle cerebral artery in 65/121 aneurysms (53.7%), anterior-communicating artery in 25/121 (20.7%), basilar artery in 17/121 (14.0%), and internal carotid artery terminus in 14/121 (11.6%). No clinically relevant adverse events occurred between years 1 and 2. At 2 yr, complete occlusion was observed in 62/121 (51.2%) aneurysms, neck remnant in 36/121 (29.8%) aneurysms, and aneurysm remnant in 23/121 (19.0%) aneurysms. The global retreatment rate at 2 yr was 9.3%., Conclusion: This analysis confirms the high safety profile of WEB treatment at 2 yr. Aneurysm occlusion is generally stable at 2 yr, and the retreatment rate between 1 yr and 2 yr is low (2.0%)., (© Congress of Neurological Surgeons 2020.)

Background: Management of small (<7 mm) unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIA) remains controversial. Retrospective studies have suggested that post gadolinium arterial wall enhancement (AWE) of UIA on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may reflect aneurysm wall instability, and hence may highlight a higher risk of UIA growth. This trial aims at exploring wall imaging findings of UIAs with consecutive follow-up to substantiate these assumptions., Objective: To develop diagnostic and predictive tools for the risk of IA evolution. Our aim is to demonstrate in clinical practice the predictive value of AWE for UIA growth. The growth will be determined by any modification of the UIA measurement. UIA growth and the UIA wall enhancement will be assessed in consensus by 2 expert neuroradiologists., Methods: The French prospective UCAN project is a noninterventional international wide and multicentric cohort. UIA of bifurcation between 3 and 7 mm for whom a clinical and imaging follow-up without occlusion treatment was scheduled by local multidisciplinary staff will be included. Extensive clinical, biological, and imaging data will be recorded during a 3-yr follow-up., Expected Outcomes: Discovering to improve the efficiency of UIA follow-up by identifying additional clinical, imaging, biological, and anatomic risk factors of UIA growth., Discussion: A prospective nationwide recruitment allows for the inclusion of a large cohort of patients with UIA. It will combine clinical phenotyping and specific imaging with AWE screening. It will enable to exploit metadata and to explore some pathophysiological pathways by crossing clinical, genetic, biological, and imaging information., (Copyright © 2020 by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.)

Background Thromboembolic events and intraoperative rupture are the most frequent neurologic complications of intracranial aneurysm coiling. Their frequency has not been evaluated in recent series. Purpose To provide an analysis of complications, clinical outcome, and participant and aneurysm risk factors after aneurysm coiling or balloon-assisted coiling within the Analysis of Recanalization after Endovascular Treatment of Intracranial Aneurysm, or ARETA, cohort. Materials and Methods Sixteen neurointerventional departments prospectively enrolled participants treated for ruptured and unruptured aneurysms between December 2013 and May 2015. Participant demographics, aneurysm characteristics, and endovascular techniques were recorded. Data were analyzed from participants within the overall cohort treated with coiling or balloon-assisted coiling for a single aneurysm. Rates of neurologic complications were analyzed, and associated factors were studied by using univariable analyses (Student t test, χ 2 test, or Fisher exact test, as appropriate) and multivariable analyses (logistic regressions). Results A total of 1088 participants (mean age ± standard deviation, 54 years ± 13; 715 women [65.7%]) were analyzed. Thromboembolic events and intraoperative rupture were reported in 113 of 1088 participants (10.4%) and 34 of 1088 participants (3.1%), respectively. Poor clinical outcome (defined as modified Rankin Scale score of 3-6) was reported in 29 of 113 participants (25.7%) with thromboembolic events and in 11 of 34 participants (32.4%) with intraoperative rupture ( P = .44). Factors associated with thromboembolic events were female sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1, 2.8; P = .02) and middle cerebral artery location (OR, 1.9; 95% CI: 1.2, 3.0; P = .008). Factors associated with intraoperative rupture were anterior communicating artery location (OR, 2.2; 95% CI: 1.1, 4.7; P = .03) and small aneurysm size (OR, 3.0; 95% CI: 1.5, 6.3; P = .003). Conclusion During aneurysm coiling or balloon-assisted coiling, thromboembolic events were more frequent than were intraoperative rupture. Both complications were associated with poor clinical outcome in a similar percentage of participants. Risk factors for thromboembolic events were female sex and middle cerebral artery location. Risk factors for intraoperative rupture were small aneurysm size and anterior cerebral or communicating artery location. © RSNA, 2020.

Background and Purpose- Flow diverters are used for endovascular therapy of intracranial aneurysms. We did a nationwide prospective study to investigate the safety and effectiveness of flow diversion at 12 months. Methods- DIVERSION was a national prospective cohort study including all flow diverters placement between October 2012 and February 2014 in France. The primary end point was the event-free survival rate at 12 months, defined as the occurrence of morbidity (intracranial hemorrhage, ischemic stroke, noncerebral hemorrhage, or neurological deficit due to mass effect), retreatment, or death within 12 months post-treatment. A quality control was carried out on 100% of the collected data and of at least 10% of the included patients in each center, chosen at random. All reported serious events were adjudicated by an independent Data Safety and Monitoring Board. Satisfactory occlusion was defined as 3 or 4 on Kamran scale by an independent imaging core laboratory at 12 months. Results- We enrolled 398 patients harboring 477 intracranial aneurysms. At least 1 morbidity-mortality event was noted in 95 of 408 interventions representing an event-free survival rate of 75.7% (95% CI, 71.1-79.7). The rate of permanent-related serious events and mortality was 5.9% and 1.2% at 12 months, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that high baseline blood pressure (hazard ratio, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.35-4.79; P =0.039), diabetes mellitus (hazard ratio, 3.70; 95% CI, 1.60-8.6; P =0.0022), and larger aneurysms (hazard ratio, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.04-1.11; P <0.0001) were associated with the occurrence of a neurological deficit. The satisfactory occlusion rate at 12 months was 79.9%, and the absence of high baseline blood pressure (odds ratio, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.12-3.71; P =0.0193) and postprocedural satisfactory occlusion (odds ratio, 2.75; 95% CI, 1.49-5.09; P =0.0012) were associated with a 12-month satisfactory occlusion. Conclusions- A satisfactory occlusion was achieved in almost 80% of cases after flow diverter treatment with a permanent-related serious event and mortality rates of 5.9% and 1.2% at 12 months, respectively.

Introduction: The evolution of neurological recovery during the first year after aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage (SAH) is poorly described., Patients: Patients with SAH in one university hospital from March the 1st 2010, to December 31st 2012, with a one-year follow-up., Method: Evaluation was performed via phone call at 3, 6 and 12 months. Primary endpoint was poor neurological recovery (modified Rankin Scale 3-4-5-6), one year after SAH. Secondary endpoints were the incidence of lack of self-perceived previous health status recovery and incidence of cognitive disorders, one year after SAH. Risk factors of poor neurological recovery were retrieved with multivariable logistic regression., Results: Two hundred and eleven patients were included and 208 had a complete follow-up. One hundred and twenty (57.7%) patients were female, 112 (53.8%) had a WFNS grade I-II-III. Seventy (33.6%) patients displayed one-year poor neurological outcome and risk factors of poor outcome were age, baseline Glasgow Coma Score ≤ 8, external ventricular drainage, intra-cranial hypertension and angiographic vasospasm. We observed an improvement in good outcome at 3 months [112 (53.8%) patients], 6 months [127 (61.1%) patients] and one-year [138 (66.3%) patients]. Fifty-nine (35.3%) patients recovered previous health status, 96 (57.5%) had persistent behaviour disorders, and 71 (42.5%) suffered from memory losses at one year., Discussion: Neurological recovery seems to improve over time. The same key complications should be targeted worldwide in SAH patients., Conclusion: Neurological complications in the following of SAH should be actively treated in order to improve outcome. The early neuro-ICU phase remains a key determinant of long-term recovery., (Copyright © 2018 Société française d'anesthésie et de réanimation (Sfar). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background and Purpose- Intracranial aneurysm (IA) size and location are important determinants of aneurysm rupture risk. In familial IAs there is concordance of location; however, if such concordance exists for size is unknown. We analyzed the concordance of aneurysm size at time of rupture in familial IAs. Methods- In pairs of affected relatives with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, the ratio between the largest and the smallest aneurysm size at time of rupture was calculated. We also compared the proportion of families in which both IAs ruptured at a size < or ≥7 mm with the proportion of families in which one IA ruptured at <7 mm and another ≥7 mm. We calculated the repeatability with corresponding 95% CI for aneurysm size at time of rupture. Results- About 130 patients from 64 families were included. Of the 68 affected pairs 18 (26%) had a ratio ≤1.2, 38 (57%) had a ratio >1.2, and 12 (17%) had a ratio ≥3. We found no difference between the proportion of families (n=31; 49%) who both had IA at time of rupture <7 mm (n=20; 31%) or both ≥7 mm (n=11; 18%) and the proportion of those families with one patient with an IA <7 mm and another with an IA ≥7 mm (n=33; 51%; P=0.86). Overall, the repeatability in aneurysm size at rupture within familial IAs was 0.10 (95% CI, 0-0.35). Conclusions- There is no good concordance in aneurysm size at rupture within familial IAs. These data suggest that size of a ruptured IA in a family member should not significantly impact on the management of a familial unruptured IA in a relative.

This pilot study aimed at assessing the effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) of the occipital nerve (ON) to treat chronic refractory headache secondary to intracranial endovascular procedures (iEVP) in 4 patients. The duration of ON-TENS therapy was only 1 month (n=2) or longer than 4 months (n=2). Overall, pain intensity decreased from 7.8 (on a 0-10 scale) at baseline to 0.8 at 6 months after ON-TENS therapy initiation (-90%), while drug treatment was reduced from 34.3 to 0.8 (-98%) on the medication quantification scale. ON-TENS is a simple technique that may benefit patients with post-iEVP refractory headache., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Understanding aneurysm growth is critical for the appropriate follow-up of patients after coil embolization and the need for retreatment. The purpose of the study was to stratify the growth dynamics of aneurysm recurrences after coiling by volumetric analysis and to determine predictive factors for aneurysm recurrences., Methods: Source images of follow-up three-dimensional time of flight MR angiography (ToF-MRA) scans were compared with the first post-interventional ToF-MRA scan and analyzed for residual flow after co-registration using ANALYZE-software. In the event of incomplete occlusion, the residual volume was segmented and calculated. Growth dynamic was determined for each aneurysm after embolization., Results: We analyzed 326 patients with 345 aneurysms from two centers. Each case had at least two ToF-MRA examinations after endovascular therapy. The mean observation interval was 59 months. Volumetric analysis of 1139 follow-up MRAs revealed that 218/345 aneurysms (63.2%) showed complete occlusion on initial follow-up imaging, and of these 95.0% remained stable. A steady increase in intra-aneurysmal flow was observed in 83/345 (24.1%). Less frequent observations were a steep increase (21/345; 6.1%) and a decrease (27/345; 7.8%). Independent predictors of increasing residual flow were greatest aneurysm diameter, total coil length, and incomplete occlusion., Conclusions: Volumetric analysis of registered three-dimensional ToF-MRA follow-up datasets allows the detection of different growth patterns with high precision, avoids the low inter-rater reliability, and represents a promising approach for future studies that include analysis of more complex predictors of residual flow. In cases of aneurysm recurrence after coiling, the major pattern seems to be a steady increase in intra-aneurysmal flow over several months., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)

Background: Flow disruption with the WEB is an innovative endovascular approach for treatment of wide-neck bifurcation aneurysms. Initial studies have shown a low complication rate with good efficacy., Purpose: To report clinical and anatomical results of the WEB treatment in the cumulative population of three Good Clinical Practice (GCP) studies: WEBCAST (WEB Clinical Assessment of Intrasaccular Aneurysm), French Observatory, and WEBCAST-2., Methods: WEBCAST, French Observatory, and WEBCAST-2 are single-arm, prospective, multicenter, GCP studies dedicated to the evaluation of WEB treatment. Clinical data were independently evaluated. Postoperative and 1-year aneurysm occlusion was independently evaluated using the 3-grade scale: complete occlusion, neck remnant, and aneurysm remnant., Results: The cumulative population comprised 168 patients with 169 aneurysms, including 112 female subjects (66.7%). The patients' ages ranged between 27 and 77 years (mean 55.5±10.2 years). Aneurysm locations were middle cerebral artery in 86/169 aneurysms (50.9%), anterior communicating artery in 36/169 (21.3%), basilar artery in 30/169 (17.8%), and internal carotid artery terminus in 17/169 (10.1%). The aneurysm was ruptured in 14/169 (8.3%). There was no mortality at 1 month and procedure/device-related morbidity was 1.2% (2/168). At 1 year, complete aneurysm occlusion was observed in 81/153 aneurysms (52.9%), neck remnant in 40/153 aneurysms (26.1%), and aneurysm remnant in 32/153 aneurysms (20.9%). Re-treatment was carried out in 6.9%., Conclusions: This series is at the moment the largest prospective, multicenter, GCP series of patients with aneurysms treated with WEB. It shows the high safety and good mid-term efficacy of this treatment., Clinical Trial Registration: French Observatory: Unique identifier (NCT18069); WEBCAST and WEBCAST-2: Unique identifier (NCT01778322)., Competing Interests: Competing interests: LP: consultant for Balt, Microvention, Neuravi, and Penumbra. JM: consultant for Medtronic, Microvention, Stryker, and Balt. XB: consultant for Microvention and Stryker. ISI: consultant for Codman, Medtronic, Sequent, and Stryker. VC: consultant for Microvention and Balt and receives educational grants from Medtronic and Stryker. JF: has received fees as consultant or lecturer from Acandis, Bayer, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Codman, Covidien, MicroVention, Penumbra, Philips, Sequent, Siemens, and Stryker; his institution received funding from MicroVention, Medtronic, BMBF, BMWi, DFG, EU. JK: consultant for Microvention/Sequent. WW: consultant for Microvention, Phenox, and Medtronic. TL: consultant for Medtronic, Mentice, Microvention, and Route92. AM: consultant for Microvention/Sequent and Cerus Endovascular. JB: consultant and shareholder for Oxford Endovascular Ltd; his institution received funding from MicroVention. LS: consultant for Stryker, MicroVention, Medtronic, Balt. J-YG, HD, and SV have no disclosures., (© Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)

Background and Purpose: Endovascular embolization of intracranial aneurysms with hydrogel-coated coils lowers the risk of major recurrence, but technical limitations (coil stiffness and time restriction for placement) have prevented their wider clinical use. We aimed to assess the efficacy of softer, second-generation hydrogel coils., Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted at 22 centers in France and Germany. Patients aged 18 to 75 years with untreated ruptured or unruptured intracranial aneurysms measuring 4 to 12 mm in diameter were eligible and randomized (1:1 using a web-based system, stratified by rupture status) to coiling with either second-generation hydrogel coils or bare platinum coils. Assist devices were allowed as clinically required. Independent imaging core laboratory was masked to allocation. Primary end point was a composite outcome measure including major aneurysm recurrence, aneurysm retreatment, morbidity that prevented angiographic controls, and any death during treatment and follow-up. Data were analyzed as randomized., Results: Randomization began on October 15, 2009, and stopped on January 31, 2014, after 513 patients (hydrogel, n=256; bare platinum, n=257); 20 patients were excluded for missing informed consent and 9 for treatment-related criteria. Four hundred eighty-four patients (hydrogel, n=243; bare platinum, n=241) were included in the analysis; 208 (43%) were treated for ruptured aneurysms. Final end point data were available for 456 patients. Forty-five out of 226 (19.9%) patients in the hydrogel group and 66/230 (28.7%) in the control group had an unfavorable composite primary outcome, giving a statistically significant reduction in the proportion of an unfavorable composite primary outcome with hydrogel coils-adjusted for rupture status-of 8.4% (95% confidence interval, 0.5-16.2; P =0.036). Adverse and serious adverse events were evenly distributed between groups., Conclusions: Our results suggest that endovascular coil embolization with second-generation hydrogel coils may reduce the rate of unfavorable outcome events in patients with small- and medium-sized intracranial aneurysms., Clinical Trial Registration: URL: https://www.drks.de/drks&#95;web/. Unique identifier: DRKS00003132., (© 2018 The Authors.)

Intracranial aneurysms (IAs) are acquired cerebrovascular abnormalities characterized by localized dilation and wall thinning in intracranial arteries, possibly leading to subarachnoid hemorrhage and severe outcome in case of rupture. Here, we identified one rare nonsense variant (c.1378A>T) in the last exon of ANGPTL6 (Angiopoietin-Like 6)-which encodes a circulating pro-angiogenic factor mainly secreted from the liver-shared by the four tested affected members of a large pedigree with multiple IA-affected case subjects. We showed a 50% reduction of ANGPTL6 serum concentration in individuals heterozygous for the c.1378A>T allele (p.Lys460Ter) compared to relatives homozygous for the normal allele, probably due to the non-secretion of the truncated protein produced by the c.1378A>T transcripts. Sequencing ANGPTL6 in a series of 94 additional index case subjects with familial IA identified three other rare coding variants in five case subjects. Overall, we detected a significant enrichment (p = 0.023) in rare coding variants within this gene among the 95 index case subjects with familial IA, compared to a reference population of 404 individuals with French ancestry. Among the 6 recruited families, 12 out of 13 (92%) individuals carrying IA also carry such variants in ANGPTL6, versus 15 out of 41 (37%) unaffected ones. We observed a higher rate of individuals with a history of high blood pressure among affected versus healthy individuals carrying ANGPTL6 variants, suggesting that ANGPTL6 could trigger cerebrovascular lesions when combined with other risk factors such as hypertension. Altogether, our results indicate that rare coding variants in ANGPTL6 are causally related to familial forms of IA., (Copyright © 2017 American Society of Human Genetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and purpose No series reported the mid-term results of Trufill DCS Orbit and Orbit Galaxy detachable coils with independent evaluation. We present the one-year safety and efficacy of these coils in real-life routine clinical practice. Methods A total of 167 patients with 167 aneurysms (39.1% ruptured) were enrolled in the prospective TRULINE study. The primary endpoint was the safety, assessed by the combined morbidity-mortality rate observed since the time of the procedure and up to one-year follow-up. For safety, primary analyses were performed on intent-to-treat population (attempted coils procedure) and all adverse events have been reviewed by an independent Data Safety Monitoring Board. For efficacy, primary analyses were performed on the per-protocol population (patients treated with more than 70% of Trufill coils and not retreated during the follow-up period) and an independent core laboratory evaluated angiographic results. Results At one-year post-procedure, neurologic impairment was observed in 6.5% (95% confidence interval: 3.5-11.8) of the patients, and 2.6% (95% confidence interval: 1.0-6.8) had a permanent neurological deterioration. Three deaths were observed, unrelated to the procedure or coils. At one year, complete occlusion was seen in 52 aneurysms (54.2%), neck remnant in 28 aneurysms (29.2%), and aneurysm remnant in 16 aneurysms (16.7%). During the one-year follow-up, the overall incidence of recurrence was 30.2% with a mean interval of 13.8 ± 4.5 months and the retreatment for major recanalization was needed in nine patients (6.3%). Conclusions The TRULINE study confirms that endovascular coiling with Trufill DCS Orbit and Orbit Galaxy detachable coils is safe and effective.

OBJECTIVE The pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for the formation of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) remain only partially elucidated. However, current evidence suggests a genetic component. The purpose of this study was to investigate the specific anatomical variations in the arterial complex that are associated with the presence of anterior communicating artery (ACoA) aneurysms in the familial forms of IAs. METHODS This multicenter study investigated bifurcation IAs in patients who had a sporadic ACoA IA without a family history of IA (SACAA group), in patients who had an ACoA IA with a family history of IA (FACAA group), and in their healthy first-degree relatives (HFDRs). Through the use of MR angiography (MRA) reconstructions, the symmetry of the A 1 segments and the angle between the A 1 and A 2 segments were analyzed on 3D models for each group. These measurements were then compared among the 3 groups. RESULTS Twenty-four patients with SACAA, 24 patients with FACAA, and 20 HFDRs were included in the study. Asymmetrical configuration of the A 1 segments was more frequent in the FACAA group than in the HFDR group (p = 0.002). The aneurysm-side A 1 -A 2 angle was lower in the FACAA group (p = 0.003) and SACAA group (p = 0.007) than in the HFDR group. On the contralateral side, there was no difference in A 1 -A 2 angles between groups. CONCLUSIONS The anatomical shape of the ACoA complex seems to be similarly associated with the presence of ACoA IAs in both the FACAA and SACAA groups. This highlights the role played by hemodynamic constraints in aneurysm formation and questions the hypothesis of the hereditary character of these anatomical shapes.

Background: Understanding the pathophysiologic mechanism of intracranial aneurysm (IA) formation is a prerequisite to assess the potential risk of rupture. Nowadays, there are neither reliable biomarkers nor diagnostic tools to predict the formation or the evolution of IA. Increasing evidence suggests a genetic component of IA but genetics studies have failed to identify genetic variation causally related to IA., Objective: To develop diagnostic and predictive tools for the risk of IA formation and rupture., Methods: The French ICAN project is a noninterventional nationwide and multicentric research program. Each typical IA of bifurcation will be included. For familial forms, further IA screening will be applied among first-degree relatives. By accurate phenotype description with high-throughput genetic screening, we aim to identify new genes involved in IA. These potential genetic markers will be tested in large groups of patients. Any relevant pathway identified will be further explored in a large cohort of sporadic carriers of IA, which will be well documented with clinical, biological, and imaging data., Expected Outcomes: Discovering genetic risk factors, better understanding the pathophysiology, and identifying molecular mechanisms responsible for IA formation will be essential bases for the development of biomarkers and identification of therapeutic targets., Discussion: Our protocol has many assets. A nationwide recruitment allows for the inclusion of large pedigrees with familial forms of IA. It will combine accurate phenotyping and comprehensive imaging with high-throughput genetic screening. Last, it will enable exploiting metadata to explore new pathophysiological pathways of interest by crossing clinical, genetic, biological, and imaging information., (Copyright © 2016 by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons)

Background and Purpose: Some patients are at high risk of aneurysm recurrence after endovascular treatment: patients with large aneurysms (Patients Prone to Recurrence After Endovascular Treatment PRET-1) or with aneurysms that have previously recurred after coiling (PRET-2). We aimed to establish whether the use of hydrogel coils improved efficacy outcomes compared with bare platinum coils., Materials and Methods: PRET was an investigator-led, pragmatic, multicenter, parallel, randomized (1:1) trial. Randomized allocation was performed separately for patients in PRET-1 and PRET-2, by using a Web-based platform ensuring concealed allocation. The primary outcome was a composite of a residual/recurrent aneurysm, adjudicated by a blinded core laboratory, or retreatment, intracranial bleeding, or mass effect during the 18-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes included adverse events, mortality, and morbidity (mRS > 2). The hypothesis was that hydrogel would decrease the primary outcome from 50% to 30% at 18 months, necessitating 125 patients per group (500 for PRET-1 and PRET-2)., Results: The trial was stopped once 250 patients in PRET-1 and 197 in PRET-2 had been recruited because of slow accrual. A poor primary outcome occurred in 44.4% (95% CI, 35.5%-53.2%) of those in PRET-1 allocated to platinum compared with 52.5% (95% CI, 43.4%-61.6%) of patients allocated to hydrogel (OR, 1.387; 95% CI, 0.838-2.295; P = .20) and in 49.0% (95% CI, 38.8%-59.1%) in PRET-2 allocated to platinum compared with 42.1% (95% CI, 32.0%-52.2%) allocated to hydrogel (OR, 0.959; 95% CI, 0.428-1.342; P = .34). Adverse events and morbidity were similar. There were 3.6% deaths (1.4% platinum, 5.9% hydrogel; P = .011)., Conclusions: Coiling of large and recurrent aneurysms is safe but often poorly effective according to angiographic results. Hydrogel coiling was not shown to be better than platinum., (© 2017 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.)

Introduction: The Woven EndoBridge (WEB) system is an innovative device under evaluation for its capacity to treat wide-neck bifurcation intracranial aneurysms. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the use of the different occlusion scales available in clinical practice., Methods: Seven WEB-experienced neurointerventionalists were provided with 30 angiographic follow-up data sets and asked to grade each evaluation point according to the Bicêtre Occlusion Scale Score (BOSS), firstly based on DSA images only then using additional C-Arm VasoCT analysis. This BOSS evaluation was then converted into the WEB Occlusion Scale (WOS) and into a dichotomized scale (complete occlusion or not). To estimate the inter-rater agreement among the seven raters, an overall kappa coefficient [1] and its standard error (SE) were computed., Results: Using the five-grade BOSS, raters showed "moderate" agreement (kappa = 0.56). Using the three-grade WOS, agreement appeared slightly better (kappa = 0.59). Strongest inter-rater agreement was observed with a dichotomized version of the scale (complete occlusion or not), which enabled an "almost perfect" agreement (kappa = 0.88). VasoCT consistently enhanced the agreement particularly with regards depicting intra-WEB residual filling., Conclusion: The WOS is a consistent means to angiographically evaluate the WEB device efficiency. But the five-grade BOSS scale allows to identify aneurysm subgroups with differing risks of recurrence and/or rehemorrhage, which needs to be separated especially at the initial phase of evaluation of this innovative device. The additional use of VasoCT allows better inter-rater agreement in evaluating occlusion and specially in depicting intra-WEB persistent filling.

Introduction: Hybrid hydrogel-platinum coils (HydroCoil) have proven effective for endovascular aneurysm treatment. To overcome technical limitations (coil stiffness, time restriction for placement), a second generation of softer hydrogel coils has been brought to clinical practice (HydroSoft, HydroFrame). We report on procedural safety and core-lab-assessed angiographic results from an open-label multicenter randomized controlled trial., Methods: Web-based randomization occurred in 15 medical centers in France and seven in Germany between coil embolization with second-generation hydrogel coils and treatment with any bare platinum coil. Assist devices could be used as clinically required. Primary endpoint is a composite outcome including major aneurysm recurrence and poor clinical outcome at 18 months follow-up., Results: Five hundred thirteen patients were randomized (hydrogel n = 256, bare platinum n = 257). Twenty patients were excluded for missing informed consent and nine patients for treatment related criteria. Four hundred eighty-four patients were analyzed as randomized (hydrogel n = 243, bare platinum n = 241). Two hundred eight had ruptured aneurysms (43 %). Prespecified procedural complications occurred in 58 subjects (hydrogel n = 28, bare platinum n = 30, p = 0.77). The 14-day mortality rate was 2.1 % in both arms of the study. The median calculated packing densities for aneurysms assigned to hydrogel and bare platinum were 39 and 31 % respectively (p < 0.001). No statistically significant differences were found between arms in the post procedural angiographic occlusion rate (p = 0.8)., Conclusion: Second-generation hydrogel coils can be used in a wide spectrum of aneurysms with a risk profile equivalent to bare platinum. Packing density was significantly higher in aneurysms treated with hydrogel coils., Trial Registration: http://www.germanctr.de , DRKS00003132.

Background and Purpose: Flow disruption with the WEB device is a new technique for the endovascular treatment of wide-neck bifurcation aneurysms. To obtain precise data regarding the safety and efficacy of this treatment with high-quality methodology, the prospective French Observatory study was conducted. Analysis of these data is presented, including 1-year follow-up., Materials and Methods: Patients with bifurcation aneurysms for which WEB treatment was indicated were included in this prospective, multicenter Good Clinical Practice study. Clinical data, including adverse events and clinical status at 1 month and 1 year, were collected and independently analyzed by a medical monitor. An independent core laboratory evaluated the anatomic results at 1 year following the procedure., Results: Ten French neurointerventional centers included 62 patients (39 women), 33-74 years of age (mean, 56.6 ± 9.80 years) with 63 aneurysms. Aneurysm locations were the middle cerebral artery in 32 aneurysms (50.8%), anterior communicating artery in 16 (25.4%), basilar artery in 9 (14.3%), and internal carotid artery terminus in 6 (9.5%). Morbidity and mortality at 1 month were, respectively, 3.2% (2/62 patients) and 0.0% (0/62). Morbidity and mortality (unrelated to the treatment) at 1 year were, respectively, 0.0% (0/59) and 3.4% (2/59 patients). At 1 year, complete occlusion was observed in 30/58 aneurysms (51.7%); neck remnant, in 16/58 aneurysms (27.6%); and aneurysm remnant, in 12/58 aneurysms (20.7%)., Conclusions: This prospective French Observatory study showed very good safety of aneurysm treatment with the WEB, with a high rate of adequate aneurysm occlusion at 1 year (79.3%)., (© 2016 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.)

Unruptured intracranial aneurysms are frequently and incidentally discovered with noninvasive imaging and the decision for preventive treatment is supported by epidemiologic and statistics data, lacking personalized argumentation about individual aneurysm behavior and inflammatory status of its wall. After a review of hemodynamic forces leading to aneurysm genesis and interaction with inflammation onset within aneurysmal wall, we will successively detail routine imaging methods for the aneurysmal wall and their respective contribution. Then, we will draw up the inventory of different experimental imaging and in vitro methods for future investigation of the aneurysmal wall. We emphasize the need for cooperation with various specialties: histopathology, genetics, and immunology in order to understand the natural history of the aneurysmal sac leading most often to stability but elsewhere to aneurysmal growth, thrombosis or rupture. A description of a research protocol devoted to aneurysmal wall inflammation and recently accepted in our university is introduced., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background and Purpose: Endovascular treatment of wide-neck anterior communicating artery aneurysms can often be challenging. The Woven EndoBridge (WEB) device is a recently developed intrasaccular flow disrupter dedicated to endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of the WEB Dual-Layer and WEB Single-Layer devices for the treatment of wide-neck anterior communicating artery aneurysms., Materials and Methods: Patients with anterior communicating artery aneurysms treated with the WEB device between June 2013 and March 2014 in 5 French centers were analyzed. Procedural success, technical complications, clinical outcome at 1 month, and immediate and 3- to 6-month angiographic follow-up results were analyzed., Results: Ten patients with unruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysms with a mean neck diameter of 5.4 mm were treated with the WEB. Treatment failed in 3 of the 10 aneurysms without further clinical complications. One patient developed a procedural thromboembolic event, and the other 6 had normal neurologic examination findings at 1-month follow-up. Immediate anatomic outcome evaluation showed adequate occlusion (total occlusion or neck remnant) in 6 of 7 patients. Angiographic control was obtained in all patients, including 6 adequate aneurysm occlusions (3 complete occlusions and 3 neck remnants) at short-term follow-up., Conclusions: In our small series, treatment of wide-neck anterior communicating artery aneurysms with the WEB device was feasible and safe. However, patient selection based on the aneurysm and initial angiographic findings in the parent artery is important due to the limitations of the WEB device navigation., (© 2015 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.)

Background and Purpose: Safety analyses in the French Observatory have shown that treatment of intracranial aneurysms by using flow disruption with the Woven EndoBridge Device (WEB) is safe, with low morbidity and no mortality. The objective of this study was to analyze treatment feasibility, complications, and safety results in patients treated with the Woven EndoBridge Device Dual-Layer (WEB DL) and Woven EndoBridge Device Single-Layer/Single-Layer Sphere (WEB SL/SLS) in the French Observatory., Materials and Methods: Patients with bifurcation aneurysms were included in this prospective, multicenter good clinical practices study. A medical monitor independently analyzed procedural and clinical data. The study started with the WEB DL, and secondarily, the WEB SL/SLS was authorized in the study., Results: Between November 2012 and January 2014, 10 French centers included 62 patients with 63 aneurysms. Thirty patients with 31 aneurysms were treated with the WEB DL, and 32 patients with 32 aneurysms, with the WEB SL/SLS. The percentage of anterior communicating artery aneurysms treated with WEB SL/SLS was significantly higher (37.5%) compared with WEB DL (12.9%) (P = .04). The WEB SL/SLS was more frequently used in aneurysms of <10 mm than the WEB DL (respectively, 96.9% and 67.7%; P = .002). Morbidity was similar in both groups (WEB DL, 3.3%; WEB SL/SLS, 3.1%), and mortality was 0.0% in both groups., Conclusions: This comparative study shows increased use of WEB treatment in ruptured, small, and anterior communicating artery aneurysms when using WEB SL/SLS. There was a trend toward fewer thromboembolic complications with the WEB SL/SLS. With both the WEB DL and WEB SL/SLS, the treatment was safe, with low morbidity and no mortality., (© 2015 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.)

Detection of an intracranial aneurysm (IA) is a common finding in MRI practice. Nowadays, the incidence of unruptured IA seems to be increasing with the continuous evolution of imaging techniques. Important modifiable risk factors for SAH are well defined, but familial history of IA is the best risk marker for the presence of IA. Numerous heritable conditions are associated with IA formation but these syndromes account for less than 1% of all IAs in the population. No diagnostic test based on genetic knowledge is currently available to identify theses mutations and patients who are at higher risk for developing IAs. In the longer term, a more comprehensive understanding of independent and interdependent molecular pathways germane to IA formation and rupture may guide the physician in developing targeted therapies and optimizing prognostic risk assessment., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Endovascular treatment of large, wide-necked intracranial aneurysms with coils is associated with low rates of initial angiographic occlusion and high rates of recurrence. The Pipeline™ Embolization Device has shown high rates of complete occlusion in uncontrolled clinical series., Methods: The study is a prospective, controlled, randomized, multicenter, phase 2 open-label trial. Intention-to-treat population includes age ≥18, unruptured saccular aneurysm located in the intra-dural area, neck diameter ≥4 and ≤10 mm, sac diameter ≥7 mm and ≤20 mm, "dome/neck" ratio is ≥1, diameter of the parent artery ≥2 mm and ≤5 mm, and no prior treatment of the aneurysm. Site can only participate if five patients have been previously treated with the Pipeline device. The primary end point of the study is complete occlusion of the aneurysm on angiogram performed 12 months after the endovascular procedure. Complete aneurysm occlusion is defined as the absence of visible blood flow, grade 1 according to the Raymond scale for the standard procedure group and grade 4 according to the grading scale of Kamran for the flow diverter group., Results: The trial is currently enrolling and results of the data are pending the completion of enrollment and follow-up., Conclusion: This paper details the trial design of the French EVIDENCE phase 2 trial, a blinded, controlled randomized trial of wide-neck intra-dural aneurysms amenable to either traditional endovascular strategy or flow diversion with Pipeline device.

Background and Purpose: The safety and efficacy of WEB flow disruption have been analyzed in small, retrospective series. The object of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of WEB flow disruption in a large, multicenter, prospectively collected population., Materials and Methods: Data from all patients treated with the WEB-DL device between June 2011 and October 2013 in 11 French neurointerventional centers were prospectively collected and retrospectively analyzed. Complications occurring during and after treatment were analyzed as well as morbidity and mortality at 1 month. Aneurysm occlusion status at the last follow-up was analyzed., Results: Eighty-three patients with 85 aneurysms were included in this series. Technical success was achieved in 77 patients with 79 aneurysms (92.9%). Periprocedural complications were observed in 9 patients (10.8%), leading to permanent neurologic deficits in 3 (3.9%). Morbidity and mortality at 1 month were 1.3% and 0.0%, respectively. Angiographic follow-up was performed for 65/79 aneurysms (82.3%) 3-24 months after treatment (mean, 5.3 months). Complete aneurysm occlusion was observed in 37/65 aneurysms (56.9%); neck remnant, in 23/65 (35.4%); and aneurysm remnant, in 5/65 (7.7%)., Conclusions: In this large prospective series of patients, WEB flow disruption was a safe and efficient technique., (© 2014 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.)

Background and Purpose: Some patients with large or recurrent aneurysms may be at increased risk of recurrence postcoiling. The Patients Prone to Recurrence after Endovascular Treatment (PRET) trial was designed to assess whether hydrogel coils were superior to platinum coils in these high-risk patients. This article reports periprocedural safety and operator-assessed angiographic results from the PRET trial., Materials and Methods: PRET was a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized controlled trial. Patients had ≥10-mm aneurysms (PRET-1) or a major recurrence after coiling of an aneurysm of any size (PRET-2). Patients were randomly allocated to hydrogel or control arms (any platinum coil) by using concealed allocation with minimization. Assist devices could be used as clinically required. Aneurysms could be unruptured or recently ruptured. Analyses were on an intent-to-treat basis., Results: Four hundred forty-seven patients were recruited (250 PRET-1; 197 PRET-2). Aneurysms were recently ruptured in 29% of PRET-1 and 4% of PRET-2 patients. Aneurysms were ≥10 mm in all PRET-1 and in 50% of PRET-2 patients. They were wide-neck (≥4 mm) in 70% and in the posterior circulation in 24% of patients. Stents were used in 28% of patients (35% in PRET-2). Coiling was successful in 98%. Adverse events occurred in 28 patients with hydrogel and 23 with platinum coils. Mortality (n=2, unrelated to treatment) and morbidity (defined as mRS>2 at 1 month) occurred in 25 patients (5.6%; 12 hydrogel, 13 platinum), related to treatment in 10 (4 hydrogel; 6 platinum) (or 2.3% of 444 treated patients). No difference was seen between hydrogel and platinum for any of the indices used to assess safety up to at least 30 days after treatment. At 1 month, 95% of patients were home with a good outcome (mRS≤2 or unchanged). Operator-assessed angiographic outcomes were satisfactory (complete occlusion or residual neck) in 339 of 447 or 76.4% of patients, with no significant difference between groups., Conclusions: Endovascular treatment of large and recurrent aneurysms can be performed safely with platinum or hydrogel coils., (© 2014 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.)

Background and Purpose: Patients harboring nongiant cerebral aneurysms may rarely present with an ischemic infarct distal to the aneurysm. The aim of this case series was to report clinical and radiologic characteristics of these patients, their management, and outcome., Materials and Methods: We undertook a single-center retrospective analysis of consecutive patients admitted during an 8-year period with an acute ischemic stroke revealing an unruptured nongiant (<25 mm) sacciform intracranial aneurysm. Clinical, radiologic, therapeutic, and follow-up data were analyzed., Results: Nine patients were included. The mean size of aneurysms was 9.6 ± 6 mm, and 5 were partially or totally thrombosed. Two patients had a fatal SAH within 3 days after stroke-symptom onset, whereas asymptomatic meningeal bleeding was diagnosed or suspected in 2 others. Most of the patients with unthrombosed aneurysms were successfully treated by endovascular coiling in the acute phase. Thrombosed aneurysms were usually treated with antithrombotics, and most recanalized secondarily, requiring endovascular treatment or surgical obliteration. No recurrence of an ischemic event or SAH was observed during the 31 ± 12 months of follow-up (from 4 to 53 months)., Conclusions: In this single-center series, the frequency of early SAH in patients with ischemic stroke distal to an unruptured intracranial aneurysm was high. Acute management should be undertaken with care regarding antithrombotic use, and early endovascular coiling should be considered.

Background and Purpose: FD technology enables reconstructive repair of otherwise difficult-to-treat intracranial aneurysms. These stentlike devices may induce progressive aneurysm thrombosis without additional implants and may initiate complete reverse vessel remodeling. The associated vascular biologic processes are as yet only partially understood., Materials and Methods: From 12 different centers, 13 cases of delayed postprocedural aneurysm rupture were recorded and analyzed. Symptom, aneurysm location and morphology, and the time elapsed from treatment until rupture were analyzed., Results: There were 10 internal carotid and 3 basilar artery aneurysms. Mean aneurysm diameter was 22 ± 6 mm. Eleven patients were symptomatic before treatment. A single FD was used for all saccular aneurysms, while fusiform lesions were treated by using multiple devices. A supplementary loose coiling of the aneurysm was performed in 1 patient only. Ten patients developed early aneurysm rupture after FD treatment (mean, 16 days; range, 2-48 days); in 3 patients, rupture occurred 3-5 months after treatment. In all cases, most of the aneurysm cavity was thrombosed before rupture. The biologic mechanisms predisposing to rupture under these conditions are reviewed and discussed, Conclusions: FDs alone may modify hemodynamics in ways that induce extensive aneurysm thrombosis. Under specific conditions, however, instead of reverse remodeling and cicatrization, aggressive thrombus-associated autolysis of the aneurysm wall may result in delayed rupture.

Purpose: To report four cases of patient with an acute ischemic event as a presenting symptom of a berry aneurysm., Patients and Methods: One male and three female (aged range 38 to 65 years) patients were admitted for acute stroke. The neuroradiologic finding disclosed aneurysm thrombosis, inferior to twenty five millimetres in three cases. Lumbar puncture was done in one case and showed subarachnoid haemorrage., Discussion: We will discuss the hypothesis leading to the mechanism of aneurysm thrombosis. Two theories will be presented: "hemodynamic" and "parietal" modifications. We will propose a management protocol for these patients with atypical presentation of intracranial aneurysms given the potential risk of rupture., Conclusion: The natural history of intracranial aneurysms is still not fully understood. Nevertheless, aneurym thrombosis may occur and lead to ischemic stroke.

Introduction: mycotic intracranial aneurysms are a rare complication of infectious endocarditis. We report four cases of patients with endocarditis, complicated by an acute stroke, revealing a mycotic intracranial aneurysm., Patients and Methods: four men (aged range 24 to 63 year old) were admitted for endocarditis, complicated by ischemic stroke in two cases and hemorrhagic stroke in the two other cases, including one with subarachnoid hemorrhage. Neuroimaging disclosed a mycotic cerebral aneurysm in all four cases., Discussion: we will discuss the natural history and the management of mycotic intracranial aneurysm based on a review of the literature and our experience. Three therapeutic options are possible: medical treatment, surgery and endovascular embolisation., Conclusion: management of mycotic intracranial aneurysms is still controversial, frequently requiring a multidisciplinary strategy with priority given to endovascular interventions.

Introduction: Incidental findings on brain MRI are not rare since the development of MRI as a diagnostic and clinical research tool., State of the Art: Prevalence of cerebral incidental finding, based on research volunteers participating in studies, is estimated from 1.7 to 4 percent. The most frequently detected lesions are intracranial tumors (meningioma, arachnoid cysts, neuro-epithelial tumor) and vascular malformations., Perspectives: A better knowledge of the spontaneous outcome of incidental findings would allow adequate management of these patients., Conclusion: Clinicians should be aware of the outcome of incidental findings, to reassure patients or trigger a work-up if necessary.