Ophthalmic artery aneurysm surgery
The ophthalmic artery aneurysms can treated safe and effective through a frontolateral approach 1).
The most important risk associated with clipping ophthalmic artery aneurysms is a new visual deficit. Meticulous microsurgical technique is necessary during anterior clinoidectomy, aneurysm dissection, and clip application to optimize visual outcomes, and aggressive medical management postoperatively might potentially decrease the incidence of delayed visual deficits. As the results of endovascular therapy and specifically flow diverters become known, they warrant comparison with these surgical benchmarks to determine best practices 2).
For ophthalmic artery aneurysm treatment if necessary, the ophthalmic artery may be sacrificed without worsening of vision in the vast majority.
Surgery is technically demanding because these aneurysms are often large and may extend into the cavernous sinus 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8).
Care must be taken to avoid optic nerve injury caused by the retraction and/or the heat of the drill 9).
For unruptured intracranial aneurysm, drill off anterior clinoid process via an extradural approach before opening dura to approach aneurysm neck maybe safe. Not for ruptured.
Cutting the falciform ligament early decompresses the optic nerve, and helps minimize worsening of visual impairment from surgical manipulation.
In most cases, a side angled clip can be placed paralell to the parent artery along the neck of the aneurysm 10).
The most important risk associated with clipping ophthalmic artery aneurysms is a new visual deficit. Meticulous microsurgical technique is necessary during anterior clinoidectomy, aneurysm dissection, and clip application to optimize visual outcomes, and aggressive medical management postoperatively might potentially decrease the incidence of delayed visual deficits. As the results of endovascular therapy and specifically flow diverters become known, they warrant comparison with these surgical benchmarks to determine best practices 2).
For ophthalmic artery aneurysm treatment if necessary, the ophthalmic artery may be sacrificed without worsening of vision in the vast majority.
Surgery is technically demanding because these aneurysms are often large and may extend into the cavernous sinus 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8).
Care must be taken to avoid optic nerve injury caused by the retraction and/or the heat of the drill 9).
For unruptured intracranial aneurysm, drill off anterior clinoid process via an extradural approach before opening dura to approach aneurysm neck maybe safe. Not for ruptured.
Cutting the falciform ligament early decompresses the optic nerve, and helps minimize worsening of visual impairment from surgical manipulation.
In most cases, a side angled clip can be placed paralell to the parent artery along the neck of the aneurysm 10).
Contralateral approach
Case series
2018
Kamide et al. retrospectively reviewed results from microsurgical clipping of 208 OphA aneurysms in 198 patients.
Patient demographics, aneurysm morphology, clinical characteristics, and patient outcomes were recorded and analyzed.
Despite 20% of these aneurysms being large or giant in size, complete aneurysm occlusion was accomplished in 91% of 208 cases, with OphA patency preserved in 99.5%. The aneurysm recurrence rate was 3.1% and the retreatment rate was 0%.
Good outcomes (modified Rankin Scale score 0-2) were observed in 96.2% of patients overall and in all 156 patients with unruptured aneurysms. New visual field defects (hemianopsia or quadrantanopsia) were observed in 8 patients (3.8%), decreased visual acuity in 5 (2.4%), and monocular blindness in 9 (4.3%). Vision improved in 9 (52.9%) of the 17 patients with preoperative visual deficits.
The most important risk associated with clipping OphA aneurysms is a new visual deficit. Meticulous microsurgical technique is necessary during anterior clinoidectomy, aneurysm dissection, and clip application to optimize visual outcomes, and aggressive medical management postoperatively might potentially decrease the incidence of delayed visual deficits. As the results of endovascular therapy and specifically flow diverters become known, they warrant comparison with these surgical benchmarks to determine best practices 11).
Patient demographics, aneurysm morphology, clinical characteristics, and patient outcomes were recorded and analyzed.
Despite 20% of these aneurysms being large or giant in size, complete aneurysm occlusion was accomplished in 91% of 208 cases, with OphA patency preserved in 99.5%. The aneurysm recurrence rate was 3.1% and the retreatment rate was 0%.
Good outcomes (modified Rankin Scale score 0-2) were observed in 96.2% of patients overall and in all 156 patients with unruptured aneurysms. New visual field defects (hemianopsia or quadrantanopsia) were observed in 8 patients (3.8%), decreased visual acuity in 5 (2.4%), and monocular blindness in 9 (4.3%). Vision improved in 9 (52.9%) of the 17 patients with preoperative visual deficits.
The most important risk associated with clipping OphA aneurysms is a new visual deficit. Meticulous microsurgical technique is necessary during anterior clinoidectomy, aneurysm dissection, and clip application to optimize visual outcomes, and aggressive medical management postoperatively might potentially decrease the incidence of delayed visual deficits. As the results of endovascular therapy and specifically flow diverters become known, they warrant comparison with these surgical benchmarks to determine best practices 11).
2017
The clinical data of 95 patients with carotid ophthalmic artery aneurysms treated via frontolateral approach in the last 1.5 years in Beijing Tiantan Hospital and Beijing Anzhen Hospital were analyzed retrospectively.Before the operation, digital subtraction angiogram (DSA) was performed among all patients.The patients were divided into two groups by the lateral approach.According to preoperative classification, surgical characteristics and prognosis were summarized.
Ninety-five cases of ophthalmic aneurysms were divided into type Ⅰ of 44 cases (46.3%), type Ⅱ of 34 cases (35.7%) and type Ⅲ of 17cases (17.9%), according to the results of DSA.The diameter of aneurysm was <10 mm (35 cases), 10-25 mm (34 cases), and >25 mm (26 cases). In the 17 cases of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), 8 cases were ruptured carotid-ophthalmic artery aneurysms.Among those 95 patients, 93 were clipped successfully, 2 was trapped.Multiple aneurysms in 5 cases were treated in one surgical session through the same approach.No aneurysm residual was found after postoperative CTA review.Ipsilateral vision of 3 cases were decline.Cerebral infarction was appeared in 9 cases.All the others had a good recovery.
The carotid-ophthalmic artery aneurysms could be well exposed. Microsurgery through frontolateral approach has the advantages such as minimal invasion, less effect on the patients’ look and simple procedure.The frontolateral approach is safe and effective in surgery for ophthalmic segment of the internal carotid artery aneurysms 12).
Ninety-five cases of ophthalmic aneurysms were divided into type Ⅰ of 44 cases (46.3%), type Ⅱ of 34 cases (35.7%) and type Ⅲ of 17cases (17.9%), according to the results of DSA.The diameter of aneurysm was <10 mm (35 cases), 10-25 mm (34 cases), and >25 mm (26 cases). In the 17 cases of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), 8 cases were ruptured carotid-ophthalmic artery aneurysms.Among those 95 patients, 93 were clipped successfully, 2 was trapped.Multiple aneurysms in 5 cases were treated in one surgical session through the same approach.No aneurysm residual was found after postoperative CTA review.Ipsilateral vision of 3 cases were decline.Cerebral infarction was appeared in 9 cases.All the others had a good recovery.
The carotid-ophthalmic artery aneurysms could be well exposed. Microsurgery through frontolateral approach has the advantages such as minimal invasion, less effect on the patients’ look and simple procedure.The frontolateral approach is safe and effective in surgery for ophthalmic segment of the internal carotid artery aneurysms 12).
Case reports
Rustemi et al. illustrated the first case of indocyanine green videoangiography (ICG-VA) application in an optic penetrating ophthalmic artery aneurysm treatment. A 57-year-old woman presented with temporal hemianopsia, slight right visual acuity deficit, and new onset of headache. The cerebral angiography detected a right ophthalmic artery aneurysm medially and superiorly projecting. The A1 tract of the ipsilateral anterior cerebral artery was elevated and curved, being suspicious for an under optic aneurysm growth. Surgery was performed. Initially the aneurysm was not visible. ICG-VA permitted the transoptic aneurysm visualization. After optic canal opening, the aneurysm was clipped and transoptic ICG-VA confirmed the aneurysm occlusion. ICG-VA showed also the slight improvement of the optic nerve pial vascularization. Postoperatively, the visual acuity was 10/10 and the hemianopsia did not worsen.
The elevation and curve of the A1 tract in medially and superiorly projecting ophthalmic aneurysms may be an indirect sign of under optic growth, or optic splitting aneurysms. ICG-VA transoptic aneurysm detection and occlusion confirmation reduces the surgical maneuvers on the optic nerve, contributing to function preservation 13).
The elevation and curve of the A1 tract in medially and superiorly projecting ophthalmic aneurysms may be an indirect sign of under optic growth, or optic splitting aneurysms. ICG-VA transoptic aneurysm detection and occlusion confirmation reduces the surgical maneuvers on the optic nerve, contributing to function preservation 13).
1) , 12)
Wang JT, Kan ZS, Wang S. [Surgical management of ophthalmic artery aneurysms via minimally invasive frontolateral approach]. Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2017 Apr 18;97(15):1179-1183. doi: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.0376-2491.2017.15.014. Chinese. PubMed PMID: 28427127.
2) , 11)
Kamide T, Tabani H, Safaee MM, Burkhardt JK, Lawton MT. Microsurgical clipping of ophthalmic artery aneurysms: surgical results and visual outcomes with 208 aneurysms. J Neurosurg. 2018 Jan 26:1-11. doi: 10.3171/2017.7.JNS17673. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 29372879.
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13)
Rustemi O, Cester G, Causin F, Scienza R, Della Puppa A. Indocyanine Green Videoangiography Transoptic Visualization and Clipping Confirmation of an Optic Splitting Ophthalmic Artery Aneurysm. World Neurosurg. 2016 Jun;90:705.e5-705.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2016.03.010. Epub 2016 Mar 12. PubMed PMID: 26979923.