The effect of basilar artery bifurcation angle on rates of initial occlusion, recanalization, and retreatment of basilar artery apex aneurysms following coil embolization

Background: Arterial bifurcations are common locations for aneurysm development given the altered hemodynamic forces and shear stress variations present at these locations. Recent reports indicate that a wide basilar artery bifurcation angle is an independent predictor of aneurysm development, growth, and subsequent rupture.

Methods: To determine the effect of basilar artery bifurcation angle on rates of initial occlusion, recanalization, and retreatment of basilar artery apex aneurysms following coil embolization, the records of 46 patients with basilar artery apex aneurysms treated with endovascular coil embolization from 2007 to 2013 were analyzed.

Results: A wide basilar artery bifurcation angle was associated with a Raymond-Roy Occlusion Classification (RROC) III occlusion in univariate analysis, but was not a statistically significant factor in multivariate modeling. An increasing basilar artery bifurcation angle was not associated with aneurysm recanalization or retreatment following coil embolization. Increasing packing density (p < .01) was the only statistically significant predictor of a RROC I or II closure. The initial RROC designation was the most powerful predictor of both eventual aneurysm recanalization (p = .01) and retreatment (p = .02). While increasing aneurysm size (p < .01), increasing aneurysm volume (p < .01), and increasing neck size (p < .01) were associated with wide basilar artery bifurcation angles, neck size (p = .03) was the only statistically significant predictor of basilar artery bifurcation angle on multivariate analyses.

Conclusion: Basilar artery bifurcation angle fails to predict rates of initial occlusion, recanalization, and retreatment on multivariate modeling in our series. Basilar artery apex aneurysm neck size independently correlates with basilar artery bifurcation angle.