Complication analysis in nitinol stent-assisted embolization of 486 intracranial aneurysms.

OBJECT: Stent-assisted embolization (SAE) has broadened the scope of endovascular cerebral aneurysm treatment. The risks associated with stent selection and configuration are poorly defined. In this study, the authors aimed to characterize the risk factors that contribute to complications in SAE of intracranial aneurysms. METHODS: Over a 10-year period, a single surgeon treated 486 aneurysms with SAE in which open-cell Neuroform or closed-cell Enterprise stents were used. Single stents were used in 386 cases, overlapping stents were deployed in 80 cases, and Y-configuration stents were used in the remaining 20 cases. All neurological complications, which included transient deficits, were analyzed; disabling strokes and death were considered major complications. The chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were used to evaluate the influence of aneurysm size and morphology, aneurysm location, stent selection, and stent configuration on complication rates. RESULTS: There were 7 deaths (1.4%), 9 major strokes (1.9%), and 18 minor neurological complications (3.7%). For all complications, multivariate analysis revealed that large aneurysm size (10-25 mm; p = 0.01), giant aneurysm size (> 25 mm; p = 0.04), fusiform aneurysm morphology (p = 0.03), and using a Y-configuration stent (p = 0.048) were independent risk factors. For the major complications, independent risk factors included an aneurysm in the posterior circulation (p = 0.02), using an overlapping stent configuration (p = 0.03), and using a Y-configuration stent (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In this series, SAE for cerebral aneurysm treatment carried an acceptable complication rate. With continued innovations in techniques and devices and with increased experience, the complication rates associated with SAE may be even lower in the future.

Long-term radiographic results of stent-assisted embolization of cerebral aneurysms.

BACKGROUND: Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage is a disabling disease. Endovascular coiling provides minimally invasive, effective, and safe treatment of both ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms. Intracranial stents have improved the endovascular treatment of complex aneurysms, but the long-term durability of this treatment modality needs clarification. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the long-term success of intracranial stent use in the treatment of aneurysms. METHODS: Four hundred ten patients were treated with stent-assisted endovascular management of 464 aneurysms. Treatment of 363 small aneurysms, 88 large aneurysms, and 13 giant aneurysms was analyzed with respect to both long-term anatomic results with digital subtraction angiography and magnetic resonance angiography over the follow-up period. RESULTS: The 6-month angiographic results of 387 aneurysm treatments revealed complete aneurysm occlusion in 282 (72.9%), residual aneurysm neck in 50 (12.9%), and residual aneurysm filling in 55 (14.2%). Long-term radiographic follow-up, performed in 262 patients (mean, 3.63 years), showed significant recurrence of only 3 aneurysms after 6-month follow-up imaging. Forty-eight aneurysms (11.9%) were considered radiographic failures during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: The aneurysm recurrence rate after stent-assisted embolization in this series was similar to published data using only coil embolization for the period between treatment and the initial follow-up imaging. For aneurysms that do not initially recur, the presented data suggest improved durability in the subsequent long-term follow-up period. ABBREVIATIONS: DSA, digital subtraction angiographyMRA, magnetic resonance angiography.

Endovascular repair of a double-lumen dissecting aneurysm.

Treating dissections and dissecting aneurysms requires maintenance of flow through the true lumen and exclusion of the false lumen from the circulation. A dissecting aneurysm of the vertebral artery presented with both a true and false lumen within the aneurysmal sac. Stenting of the true lumen followed by coil embolization of both lumens was performed. Management options and decision-making are discussed for this unique situation.

Endovascular repair of a double-lumen dissecting aneurysm.

Treating dissections and dissecting aneurysms requires maintenance of flow through the true lumen and exclusion of the false lumen from the circulation. A dissecting aneurysm of the vertebral artery presented with both a true and false lumen within the aneurysmal sac. Stenting of the true lumen followed by coil embolization of both lumens was performed. Management options and decision-making are discussed for this unique situation.

Trans-sphenoidal Approach to the Supraclinoid Internal Carotid Artery for Endovascular Access in a Cadaver.

PURPOSE: Sometimes, intracranial pathology in the distal vasculature cannot be accessed by standard endovascular techniques because of occlusion or insurmountable tortuosity of theinternal carotid artery (ICA). A trans-sphenoidal surgical approach can follow a similar trajectory to the course of the supraclinoid ICA. This study evaluates the feasibility of a trans-sphenoidal approach to the supraclinoid ICA for endovascular access. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a fresh cadaver head, the sphenoid sinus was dissected through a trans-sphenoidal route. Bone over the carotid prominence was removed to expose the ICA. The artery was catheterized using the Seldinger technique, and three-dimensional digital subtraction angiography was performed to evaluate the procedure. RESULTS: The catheter was successfully inserted into the supraclinoid ICA via the trans-sphenoidal route. Three-dimensional radiographic reconstruction confirmed placement of the catheter and the trajectory of the sheath into the supraclinoid ICA. CONCLUSION: While the trans-sphenoidal route has innumerable disadvantages over the standard endovascular access techniques, this route could be considered when other treatment options are too risky or impractical.

Repercussions of occult malignancy - an etiologic basis for rheumatic disease.

Paraneoplastic syndromes and infection are known causes of autoimmunity, but the etiology of most autoimmune syndromes remains unknown. If the immune system can effectively fight malignant cell lines, it is likely that many potential tumors are controlled before becoming clinically apparent. This phenomenon is a potential explanation for all non-infectious auto-immunity including many rheumatic diseases. The presented discussion argues that all auto-immune disease is secondary to infection or neoplasia, and occult neoplasia is responsible for rheumatic diseases. Detecting occult neoplasia is inherently not possible, but if this theory bears truth, induced autoimmune disease could become a powerful treatment of malignancy.

Stent assisted embolization of 64 anterior communicating artery aneurysms.

INTRODUCTION: Anterior communicating artery (ACoA) aneurysms comprised over half of the ruptured aneurysms in the International Subarachnoid Trial. Endovascular treatment of ACoA aneurysms has provided good results, but until the introduction of intracranial stents, many ACoA aneurysms could not be treated without craniotomy. The current study analyzes the results of ACoA aneurysm treatment using stent assisted embolization. METHODS: 64 patients with ACoA aneurysms underwent stent assisted aneurysm repair. Four were treated in the acute rupture phase and a fifth ruptured aneurysm was stented in a second procedure after initial coiling. Five aneurysms were 10 mm or more in greatest diameter. Follow-up angiography was performed 6 months after treatment; then, patients were followed with annual MR angiography. Technical, clinical, and long term radiographic results were analyzed. RESULTS: Stents were successfully deployed in each case. One patient was eventually treated with a three stent construct and died of perioperative hemorrhage. One major stroke occurred during a separate procedure when a patient was taken off antiplatelet medications. These cases were the only aneurysm related morbidity (1.6%) and mortality (1.6%) events during the entire follow-up period. After stent assisted embolization, 32 (50.0%) ACoA aneurysms were completely occluded, 15 (23.4%) had residual neck, and 17 (26.6%) had residual filling. At first radiographic follow-up, 39 of 55 (70.9%) showed complete occlusion. Three (5.5%) total aneurysms required retreatment. CONCLUSIONS: Stent assisted aneurysm treatment was a safe and effective option in this series of ACoA aneurysms with maximum diameter less than 15 mm. ACoA aneurysms may be more likely to recur regardless of treatment option, but stent assisted embolization may be durable after stable initial radiographic follow-up.

Venous sinus manometry and intervention using the PrimeWire Prestige pressure guidewire: technique and initial experience.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral venography and manometry are used for the diagnosis of hemodynamically significant venous sinus stenosis in patients with the syndrome of idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Intravenous pressure measurements using the traditional microcatheter technique can be cumbersome, time consuming and potentially unreliable. The PrimeWire Prestige pressure guidewire conducts pressure electrically and can be used as a guidewire for intervention. It has been validated in interventional cardiology procedures. OBJECTIVE: We describe our initial clinical experience with the PrimeWire Prestige pressure guidewire system for cerebral venous manometry and intervention. METHOD: Cerebral venous pressure gradient was directly measured by advancing the pressure wire across a region of stenosis. The pressure wire was also used as a guidewire for intravascular ultrasound, angioplasty and stenting. RESULTS: The PrimeWire Prestige pressure guidewire successfully navigated the intracranial venous sinus anatomy. Transfer of devices over the guidewire in a monorail fashion was uncomplicated, and measurement of sinus pressure between the steps of the intervention was efficiently performed. CONCLUSION: The PrimeWire Prestige pressure guidewire system provided a safe, fast and effective method for intracranial venous sinus manometry and intervention. It has several potential advantages over the traditional microcatheter method, including efficiency, accuracy and cost.

Initial Experience with Neuroform EZ in the Treatment of Wide-neck Cerebral Aneurysms.

PURPOSE: Stent-assisted coiling allows embolization and parent vessel reconstruction of wide-necked intracranial aneurysms. The Neuroform EZ (Boston Scientific, Fremont, CA, U.S.A.) stent delivery system offers deployment of a Neuroform stent with fewer steps and improved operator control. Initial experience, technical considerations, and treatment outcomes using the Neuroform EZ stent delivery system in combination with coil embolization are reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventeen consecutive patients harboring 21 wide-necked saccular cerebral aneurysms were treated with stent reconstruction. Twenty aneurysms were unruptured; one was treated within 24 hours of diagnosis of rupture. Twenty aneurysms were located in the anterior circulation; one was in the posterior circulation. Immediate and six-month post-treatment angiography and clinical assessment were performed. RESULTS: In all cases, the stents were delivered and positioned without difficulty in deployment. Technical complications occurred in 4 patients, but none were directly related to the stent delivery system. On immediate post-treatment angiography, 5 of 21 aneurysms showed complete occlusion, 5 of 21 showed residual neck, and 11 of 21 showed residual contrast filling of the aneurysm sac. At six month follow-up, all 17 patients were clinically stable. Angiography of 18 of the aneurysms showed total occlusion in 12, residual neck in 3, and residual aneurysm filling in 3. Retreatment was performed in the three with residual aneurysm. CONCLUSION: The Neuroform EZ stent system offers improved anchoring and support in stent delivery, which is particularly useful when multiple stents are overlapped to further protect the parent vessel and increase flow diversion away from the aneurysm sac. The only significant problem encountered was coil prolapse, which could be treated with a second stent when necessary. The ease of deployment improves upon the already clinically successful Neuroform design.

Evaluation of cerebral artery perforators and the pipeline embolization device using optical coherence tomography.

INTRODUCTION: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) provides high resolution imaging of tissue; this technology has been validated using intra-arterial catheters in the evaluation of arterial anatomy, pathology and treatments. The perforating cerebral arteries and intracranial stents have not been previously visualized with an OCT catheter. METHODS: Using a standard transfemoral endovascular technique, a LightLab C7 Dragonfly catheter was inserted in the middle and posterior cerebral arteries of a fresh frozen cadaver. OCT images of the cerebral vessels and a deployed Pipeline Embolization Device were acquired using the LightLab C7-XR OCT Intravascular Imaging System. RESULTS: Distal cerebral artery access with the imaging catheter was feasible via the femoral artery using a distal access catheter instead of the standard monorail system used in coronary investigations. Imaging of perforators and stent struts had exceptional resolution. CONCLUSION: The first use of a commercial OCT catheter in the evaluation of intracranial vessels using transfemoral endovascular techniques is described. Challenges of intracranial OCT include blood clearance and vessel tortuosity. This technology may aid in the diagnosis and treatment of cerebrovascular disease in the future.

Double wire technique for stenting tortuous cerebral vessels.

The failure to catheterize distal vessels may preclude optimal endovascular intervention. We present a double wire technique to facilitate the selective placement of catheters into tortuous vasculature when a single wire and catheter technique does not suffice. A wide necked middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm incorporated the origin of the inferior MCA trunk, and despite successful passage of a wire into the distal MCA, the catheter could not be advanced beyond 2 sharp turns at the inferior trunk origin. A second wire was passed through the catheter into the inferior trunk providing adequate stability for advancement of the catheter into the vessel. The distal vessel was successfully catheterized and a stent was placed without complication. The double wire technique may allow the passage of catheters into vessels that are otherwise inaccessible because of tortuosity.