Microsurgical Treatment of Pediatric Intracranial Aneurysms: Long-term Angiographic and Clinical Outcomes

BACKGROUND: Pediatric aneurysms are rare and complex to treat. Long-term angiographic and clinical data after microsurgical or endovascular therapies are lacking. OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical and radiographic outcomes in aneurysms in pediatric patients treated with microsurgery. METHODS: Between 1989 and 2005, 48 patients <= 18 years of age (28 boys, 20 girls; mean age, 12.3 years) were treated for intracranial aneurysms. Patient charts were reviewed retrospectively for age, presentation, type and location of aneurysm(s), surgical approach, complications, and clinical and angiographic outcomes. Rates of aneurysm recurrence and de novo formation were calculated. RESULTS: Seventy-two aneurysms were treated. Presentations included incidental aneurysm (35%), aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (17%), stroke (13%), and traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (10%). Location was anterior circulation in 76% and posterior circulation in 24%. Twenty-eight (39%) were fusiform/dissecting, and 16 (23%) were giant. Most aneurysms were clipped directly. A vascular bypass with parent-vessel occlusion was used to treat 13 aneurysms (18%). Hypothermic circulatory arrest was used to treat 10 aneurysms (14%), all involving the basilar artery. The perioperative morbidity rate was 25%. There were no deaths. The long-term morbidity rate was 14%, and the mortality rate was 3%. Clinical outcome was favorable in 92% and 94% at discharge and follow-up, respectively (mean, 59 months; median, 32 months). At angiographic follow-up (mean, 53 months; median, 32 months), the annual recurrence rate was 2.6%, and the annual rate of de novo formation or growth was 7.8%. CONCLUSION: Pediatric aneurysms require complex microsurgical techniques to achieve favorable outcomes. They leave higher rates of recurrence and de novo formation or growth than their adult counterparts, which mandates lifelong follow-up.