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Background Middle meningeal artery (MMA) embolization has been proposed as a treatment of chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH). The benefit of the procedure has yet to be demonstrated in a randomized controlled trial. We aim to assess the efficacy of MMA embolization in reducing the risk of CSDH recurrence 6 months after burr-hole surgery compared with standard medical treatment in patients at high risk of postoperative recurrence. Methods The EMPROTECT trial is a multicenter open label randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 12 French centers. Adult patients (≥18 years) operated for CSDH recurrence or for a first episode with a predefined recurrence risk factor are randomized 1:1 to receive either MMA embolization within 7 days of the burr-hole surgery (experimental group) or standard medical care (control group). The number of patients to be included is 342. Results The primary outcome is the rate of CSDH recurrence at 6 months. Secondary outcomes include the rate of repeated surgery for a homolateral CSDH recurrence during the 6-month follow-up period, the rate of disability and dependency at 1 and 6 months, defined by a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score ≥4, mortality at 1 and 6 months, total cumulative duration of hospital stay during the 6-month follow-up period, directly or indirectly related to the CSDH and embolization procedure-related complication rates. Conclusions The EMPROTECT trial is the first RCT evaluating the benefit of MMA embolization as a surgical adjunct for the prevention of CSDH recurrence. If positive, this trial will have a significant impact on patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Balloon-assisted mechanical angioplasty for cerebral vasospasm following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) has a number of limitations, including transient occlusion of the spastic blood vessel. Comaneci is an FDA-approved device for temporary coil embolization assistance which has recently also been approved for the treatment of distal symptomatic refractory vasospasm. We aimed to report the feasibility, efficacy and safety of our experience with Comaneci angioplasty for refractory distal vasospasm (up to the second segment of the cerebral arteries) following aSAH. Methods This is a retrospective analysis of a prospective series of 18 patients included between April 2019 and June 2021 with aSAH and symptomatic vasospasm refractory to medical therapy, who were treated using Comaneci-17-asssisted mechanical distal angioplasty. Immediate angiographic results, procedure-related complications, and clinical outcomes were assessed. Inter-rater reliability of the scores was determined using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Results Comaneci-assisted distal angioplasty was performed in 18 patients, corresponding to 31 target arteries. All distal anterior segments were easily accessible with the Comaneci-17 device. Vasospasm improvement after Comaneci mechanical angioplasty was seen in 22 distal arteries (71%) (weighted Cohen's kappa (κw) 0.73, 95% CI 0.69 to 0.93). Vasospasm recurrence occurred in three patients (16.67%) and delayed cerebral infarction in three patients (16.67%), with a mean±SD delay between onset of symptoms and imaging follow-up (MRI/CT) of 32.61±8.93 days (κw 0.98, 95% CI 0.88 to 1). Conclusion This initial experience suggests that distal mechanical angioplasty performed with the Comaneci-17 device for refractory vasospasm following aSAH seems to be safe, with good feasibility and efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the low-profile braided intracranial stents called the Low Profile Visualized Intraluminal Support (LVIS) devices for stent-assisted coil embolization of wide-necked intracranial aneurysms. Materials and Methods This was a prospective, multicenter, observational study of unruptured and ruptured intracranial aneurysms treated with the LVIS devices. Imaging and clinical data were independently analyzed respectively by CoreLab and Clinical Event Committee. Primary endpoints were clinical safety, effectiveness, and angiographic stability of the results at 6 and 18 months. Results Ten centers participated in the study; 102 patients were included and 90 patients (42.2% men, 57.8% women) were eventually analyzed, among which 27 (30.0%) had multiple aneurysms. Twenty-three (25.6%) were ruptured aneurysms, four of which (4.4%) were treated in the acute phase. One aneurysm was treated per patient; 92 LVIS and LVIS Jr devices were placed overall. The total aneurysm occlusion rate was 91.0% on immediate post-procedure angiograms, which remained unchanged at 6-month follow-up and was 92.4% at 18-month follow-up. One patient (1.1%) underwent retreatment between 6 and 18 months of follow-up. A modified Rankin score of 0 was documented for most cases immediately after the procedure (86.7%) and at 6-month (86.8%) and 18-month (83.3%) follow-up. The overall permanent morbidity rate at 18 months was 5.6% and the overall rate of events with sequelae related to the stent was 2.2%. The 18-month procedure-related mortality rate was 3.3%. No patient was deemed to require retreatment at 18-month follow-up. Conclusion The LVIS/LVIS Jr endovascular devices are safe and effective in the treatment of ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms, with acceptable complication rates, very high immediate total occlusion rates, and stable angiographic results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic intracranial aneurysms (AICT) are rare and are associated with high morbidity and mortality. AICT are the result of head injuries caused by accidents, explosions, and gunfire. The case is reported here of a 28 year old man who was admitted to our hospital after suffering a penetrating head injury caused by a bullet. Radiographic studies showed interhemispheric subarachnoid haemorrhage and a likely AICT image that initially went unnoticed. One week later he underwent a cerebral angiography which showed a bilateral vasospasm of the terminal portion of the internal carotid and the appearance of a 2mm fusiform AICT at the orbit-frontal branch of the anterior cerebral artery. This was surgically treated after an aneurismal growth of 3.4mm and failure of the endovascular treatment. The patient showed a favourable outcome after surgery., (Copyright © 2015 Sociedad Española de Neurocirugía. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.)