Extracranial/intracranial anastomosis in therapeutic balloon occlusion of the internal carotid artery.

Occlusion of the internal carotid artery with a detachable balloon was attempted or achieved in 19 patients suffering from a carotid aneurysm or dural arteriovenous malformation. An extracranial/intracranial anastomosis was performed prior to the occlusion in 11 patients, 4 of whom developed complications as did one of the 8 patients without an anastomosis. Although the morbidity of the procedure might have been greater without an arterial bypass a comparison of the two groups of patients lends no support for this view.