Patient Outcomes Are Better for Unruptured Cerebral Aneurysms Treated at Centers That Preferentially Treat with Endovascular Coiling: A Study of the National Inpatient Sample 2001–2007
W. Brinjikji, A.A. Rabinstein, G. Lanzino, D.F. Kallmes and H.J. Cloft.
American Journal of Neuroradiology 2011 32: 1065-1070.
Object: The purpose of the study was to correlate outcome data with practice patterns, specifically the proportion of unruptured aneurysms treated with neurosurgical clipping versus endovascular coiling.
Method: Using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS), we evaluated outcomes of patients treated for unruptured aneurysms in the United States from 2001 to 2007.
Results: Markedly lower morbidity (P < .0001) and mortality (P = .0015) were noted in centers that coiled a higher percentage of aneurysms compared with the proportion of aneurysms clipped.
Conclusion: Centers that treated a higher percentage of unruptured aneurysms with coiling compared with clipping achieved markedly lower rates of morbidity and mortality.
Read the entire abstract here.