Abstract
PURPOSE: To share our clinical experience with conservative management of isolated spinal arterial aneurysms (ISAs) and to identify clinical scenarios where conservative management may be appropriate, in the context of a literature review. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of spinal angiograms from two German neuroradiology centers and conducted a systematic literature review of reported ISA cases. We analyzed demographics, clinical presentation, imaging findings, treatments, and outcomes. RESULTS: We identified seven patients (mean age 48; 4 women) with nine ISAs, eight of which were managed conservatively. Five of them had excellent short-term outcomes, and spontaneous regression was documented in four cases. With our cases, 208 ISAs have been reported in the literature in 164 patients (mean age 51; 52% female). They most commonly present with subarachnoid hemorrhage (90%) and back pain (69%). Most are located in the thoracic (51%) or cervical spine (40%) and involve the anterior spinal circulation (63%). They may be treated by surgical intervention (47%) or conservatively (37%), less commonly by endovascular therapy (16%). 78% of patients have favorable outcomes (mRS 0-3), similar across all treatment approaches. In 52% of conservatively managed cases, spontaneous regression was documented by imaging. Clinical deterioration was primarily associated with respiratory complications and spinal cord infarction, with a documented rebleeding rate of 8% and a mortality rate of 12%. CONCLUSIONS: ISAs are a rare and potentially underrecognized cause of cerebral and spinal subarachnoid hemorrhage. In select cases, particularly small ISAs of the anterior spinal or a radiculomedullary artery and with transient neurological symptoms, conservative management appears to be a reasonable approach, supported by increasing evidence of the possibility of spontaneous regression.