Detachable balloon and calibrated-leak balloon techniques in the treatment of cerebral vascular lesions

Abstract

Of the cerebral vascular lesions that can be treated with intravascular detachable balloon techniques, carotid-cavernous sinus fistulas and vertebro-vertebral fistulas have the best results. The great advantage of this technique is that the cerebral blood flow can usually be preserved after the occlusion of the fistla. In this report 17 posttraumatic carotid-cavernous sinus fistulas were successfully treated with preservation of the carotid blood flow in 12 cases. None of the patients died, and the morbidity was limited to 1 case of third nerve palsy. The treatment of aneurysms by this method is much more difficult and dangerous. Of 14 cases treated, 7 good results were obtained. Two patients died and 2 had a poor outcome. The embolization of certain brain angiomas with calibrated-leak balloons using bucrylate, promises to be important in the future.