Objective: A patient with an anterior communicating artery aneurysm was treated by use of endovascular coiling, and a Guglielmi detachable coil (Boston Scientific/Target, Fremont, CA) fractured distal to its connection to the delivering catheter. The unraveled coil floated out from the aneurysm to extend into the bifurcation of the left middle cerebral artery. We describe the microsurgical procedure used to retrieve the coil after an endovascular approach failed.
Methods: The left anterior cerebral artery was punctured just below the aneurysm neck, and a titanium microhook was introduced to anchor the coil and pull it out. Slight traction was exerted before sectioning the coil to avoid protrusion of the stump into the parent vessel.
Results: The unraveled coil was removed in totality without permanent morbidity.
Conclusion: This report describes the case of a rare complication of coil embolization treated with a minimal transarterial coil hooking procedure.