Endovascular embolization of ruptured intracranial aneurysms is a relatively new and still developing technique, therefore its efficiency and risks should be assessed recurrently, including also results obtained in national centers.
Aim: The aim of the study was to present a synthetic review of the literature, which, including the data published by the Polish centers, typify the global assessment of the effectiveness and early complication of endovascular embolization in patients with ruptured brain aneurysms.
Materials and methods: Our review of the literature includes 24 papers listed in PubMed and Medline, including also two Polish case series. The following data were extracted from the publications and compiled into global characteristics of a case series: basic characteristic of the study group, neurological status on admission, feasibility of procedure, incidence of complications and their type, outcome at discharge and intraoperative morbidity and mortality.
Results: Effective embolization was feasible in 94.4% of patients. Total occlusion of the cerebral aneurysm (99-100%) during initial procedure was achieved in 60.7% of patients. Intraoperative complications occurred in 12.6% of individuals. The most frequent type of intraoperative complication was thromboembolism, which occurred in 6%. As much as 65.2% of patients scored 4 or 5 in GOS on discharge.
Conclusions: Endovascular embolization is highly effective in the treatment of ruptured cerebral aneurysms, featured also by a low rate of intra-procedural complications. The majority of patients are discharged in good shape and neurological status, scoring 4-5 in GOS.
Keywords: cerebral aneurysm; endovascular embolization; subarachnoid haemorrhage.