STENT-ASSISTED COIL EMBOLIZATION OF POSTERIOR CIRCULATION ANEURYSMS USING SOLITAIRE AB

Abstract

To evaluate patients with wide-necked aneurysms of the posterior circulation who underwent Solitaire AB (ev3, Inc., Irvine, CA) stent-assisted coil embolization. Retrospective analysis of 10 patients (age range, 32–76 years; mean age, 59.1 years) with aneurysms of the basilar artery (basilar tip, n = 5; basilar trunk, n = 4; posterior cerebral artery, n = 1). Seven of the patients presented with an acute subarachnoid hemorrhage. Five aneurysms were small, 2 were large, and 3 were giant. All patients were treated by different applications (n = 14) of the Solitaire AB neurovascular remodeling device followed by a standard coiling procedure using bioactive coils. Positioning of all Solitaire AB stents was easy and successful. No stent required retrieving and repositioning after full deployment. There were no thromboembolic complications, and no dissection/rupture or vasospasm occurred during stent placement. In all cases except 3, 100% lesion occlusion was observed after the initial treatment. The initial technical and clinical results of Solitaire AB stent-assisted coiling of different types of wide-necked aneurysms in the posterior circulation are highly encouraging, and this technique may improve the endovascular treatment of these aneurysms.