Abstract 019: Short term outcomes of patients operated for cerebral aneurysm clipping in Kinshasa

Abstract

Objectives To assess the neurological and surgical outcomes of the patients operated of cerebral aneurysm clipping as the first experience in Kinshasa. Background Although neurovascular pathologies continue to have a high morbimortality rate, they are being more frequently diagnosed in Africa as a result of the increased accessibility of contemporary imaging methods like computed tomography (CT) angiography. For these diseases to be adequately and promptly managed, vascular neurosurgery must be developed in Africa. Material and Methods This is a retrospective study including patients who underwent cerebral aneurysm clipping from 2022 to 2025. Patients were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively by neurological examination and radiological assessment with non‐contrast brain CT scan and cerebral CT angiography for aneurysm exploration. Results Eleven patients admitted for subarachnoid hemorrhage due to aneurysm rupture underwent aneurysm clipping. The mean age was 52.63 ± 14.90 years, 75% of patients were female and 25% were male. 62.5% were over 50 years of age. All patients were classified as grade 1 according to the WFNS classification of subarachnoid hemorrhage. After cerebral CT angiography, the aneurysm was located in 25% of cases, respectively, in the internal carotid artery, anterior communicating artery, anterior cerebral artery, and posterior communicating artery. According to the modified Fisher classification, 50% of patients were classified as grade 1 and 25% as grade 0 and grade 4, respectively. Brain CT scans revealed cerebral edema in 37.5% of patients. Fifty percent were intact on neurological examination, while the other half presented with a transient neurological deficit. In the follow‐up, no related deaths were observed, and all patients recovered from their neurological deficits in the short term. Conclusion This short‐term study of eleven patients who underwent cerebral aneurysm clipping showed favorable outcomes and demonstrated that cerebral aneurysm surgery is a reality in Kinshasa, although it requires additional support for its development.