AUTHOR=Fu Weiqi , Ge Huijian , Luo Gang , Meng Xiangyu , Wang Jiejun , Jin Hengwei , Li Youxiang 

TITLE=Treatment of Unruptured Vertebral Artery Aneurysm Involving Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery With Pipeline Embolization Device

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2021.622457

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2021.622457

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> Treatment of unruptured vertebral artery aneurysm involving posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) is challenging. The experience of pipeline embolization device (PED) therapy for these lesions is still limited.</p><p><bold>Objective:</bold> To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the PED for unruptured vertebral artery aneurysm involving PICA.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> Thirty-two patients with unruptured vertebral artery aneurysm involving PICA underwent treatment with PED were retrospectively identified. Procedure-related complications, PICA patency, clinical, and angiographic outcomes were analyzed.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Thirty-two aneurysms were successfully treated without any procedure-related complications. Images were available in 30 patients (93.8%) during a period of 3–26 months follow-up (average 8.4 months), which confirmed complete occlusion in 17 patients (56.5%), near-complete occlusion in 9 patients (30%), and incomplete occlusion in one patient (3.3%). Parent artery occlusion (PAO) was occurred in 3 patients (10%). Twenty-eight of 30 PICA remained patent. The two occlusions of PICA were secondary to PAO. At a mean of 20.7 months (range 7–50 months) clinical follow-up, all the patients achieved a favorable outcome without any new neurological deficit.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> PED seems to be a safe and effective alternative endovascular option for patients with unruptured vertebral artery aneurysm involving PICA.</p>