Self-closing aneurysm clip: a historical review.

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the self-closing aneurysm clip historical evolution.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

The authors reviewed the self-closing aneurysm clip's 50-year history. Major neurosurgical books, journals, testimonials, authors' personal experience, and scientific databases were analysed.

RESULTS

Self-closing aneurysm clip malfunction was found to be related to different clip strengths (too strong or too weak) and clip's corrosion or fracture due to diverse stainless steel biocompatibility issues. It was found that 301, 401, 402, 58, and 17-7 PH alloys were not suitable for human implantation due to high risk of corrosion. In counterpart, 316MOSS, Elgiloy, Phynox, and titanium alloys were more biocompatible and less prone to corrosion. The last group showed no motion on the magnetic field. Titanium clip has shown to be artifact free on computerized tomography followed by high-grade cobalt-chromium clip all the other aneurysms clip present a significant artifact. The Federal Drugs and Administration/American Society of Testing and Materials (FDA/ASTM) was a major contributor on safety development of self-closing aneurysm clip.

CONCLUSION

Our 36-year self-closing aneurysm clip experience is reported.