Dual lumen balloon spontaneous inflation during embolization

Excerpt

Balloon-assisted coil (BAC) embolization has gained acceptance during the last years for the treatment of wide-necked intracranial aneurysms. This article presents the case of a 51-year-old female with ruptured posterior communicating artery (PComA) aneurysm treated with balloon-assisted coiling using a dual lumen balloon (Eclipse 2L, Balt Extrusion, Montmorency, France). The procedure went uneventfully; however, the final control digital subtraction angiography (DSA) performed with the power injector showed a “spontaneous” inflation of the dual lumen balloon (balloon half inflated at the end of the run, impossible to deflate). “Spontaneous” inflation of balloons during any intracranial intervention can have detrimental consequences. Therefore, several macroscopic and microscopic tests were performed on the device seeking to determine the mechanism behind this spontaneous balloon inflation. This article describes several potential causes of this inopportune spontaneous balloon inflation and some recommendation are also suggested to avoid its occurrence. …