Transcatheter embolisation of arterial aneurysms.

Eleven cases of bleeding aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms, with and without arterio-venous fistula, involving different vascular territories were treated by transcatheter embolisation and the results are reported. Gelfoam was used in two cases and steel coils in the remaining nine cases. Embolisation by the steel-coil technique proved to be very efficient. The experience in these 11 cases shows that it is usually not necessary to embolize the aneurysm cavity but simply to occlude the feeding proximal vessel, consequently sparing the weak aneurysmic wall the risk of rupture and allowing the aneurysms to clot as a result of reduced or occluded blood flow.