Wagenbach, Anne

Object The widespread use of imaging techniques for evaluating nonspecific symptoms (vertigo, dizziness, memory concerns, unsteadiness, and the like) and focal neurological symptoms related to cerebrovascular disease has led to increased identification of asymptomatic incidentally discovered unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs). The management of these incidental aneurysms is controversial and many factors need to be considered. The authors describe reasons leading to diagnosis, demographics, and risk factors in a large consecutive series of patients with small incidentally found UIAs. Methods The authors prospectively evaluated 335 patients harboring 478 small (< 10-mm) UIAs between January 2008 and May 2011. Patients with known aneurysms, possibly symptomatic aneurysms, arteriovenous malformation–related aneurysms, patients with a history of subarachnoid hemorrhage from another aneurysm, and patients harboring extradural aneurysms were excluded from the analysis. Only truly incidental small aneurysms (272 aneurysms in 212 patients) were considered for the present analysis. Data regarding the reason for detection, demographics, location, and presence of potential risk factors for aneurysm formation were prospectively collected. Results There were 158 female (74.5%) and 54 male (25.5%) patients whose mean age was 60.6 years (median 62 years). The most common reason for undergoing the imaging study that led to a diagnosis of the aneurysms was evaluation for nonspecific spells and symptoms related to focal cerebrovascular ischemia (43.4%), known/possible intracranial or neck pathology (24%), and headache (16%). The most common location (27%) of the aneurysm was the middle cerebral artery; the second most common (22%) was the paraclinoid internal carotid artery (excluding cavernous sinus aneurysms). Sixty-nine percent of patients were current or prior smokers, 60% had a diagnosis of hypertension, and 23% had one or more relatives with a history of intracranial aneurysms with or without subarachnoid hemorrhage. Conclusions Small incidental UIAs are more commonly diagnosed in elderly individuals during imaging performed to investigate ill-defined spells or focal cerebrovascular ischemic symptoms, or during the evaluation of known or probable unrelated intracranial/neck pathology. Hypertension, smoking, and family history of aneurysms are common in this patient population, and the presence of these risk factors has important implications for treatment recommendations. Although paraclinoid aneurysms (excluding intracavernous aneurysms) are uncommon in patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysms, this location is very common in patients with small incidental UIAs.

Object The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of shunt infection in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) after converting an external ventricular drain (EVD) to a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt using the existing EVD site. The second purpose was to assess the risk of shunt malfunction after converting the EVD to a permanent shunt irrespective of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein and red blood cell (RBC) counts. Methods Data obtained in 80 consecutive adult patients (18 men and 62 women, mean age 60.8 years, range 33–85 years) who underwent direct conversion of an EVD to a VP shunt for post-SAH hydrocephalus between August 2002 and March 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. In each patient, the existing EVD site was used to pass the proximal shunt catheter. In no patient was VP shunt insertion delayed based on preoperative RBC or protein counts. Results The mean period of external ventricular drainage before VP shunt placement was 14.1 days (range 3–45 days). No patient suffered ventriculitis. The mean perioperative CSF protein level was 124 mg/dl (range 17–516 mg/dl). The mean and median perioperative RBC values in CSF were 14,203 RBCs/mm3 and 4600 RBCs/mm3 (range 119–290,000/mm3), respectively. No patient was lost to follow-up. The mean follow-up duration was 24 months (range 2–53 months). Three patients (3.8%) had shunt malfunction related to obstruction of the shunt system after 15 days, 2 months, and 18 months, respectively. There were no shunt-related infections. No patient suffered a clinically significant hemorrhage from ventricular catheter placement after VP shunt insertion. Conclusions In adult patients with aneurysmal SAH, conversion of an EVD to a VP shunt can be safely done using the same EVD site. In this defined patient population, protein and RBC counts in the CSF do not seem to affect shunt survival adversely. Thus, conversion of an EVD to VP shunt should not be delayed because of an elevated protein or RBC count.