Clinical and Angiographic Outcomes After Stent-Assisted Coiling of Cerebral Aneurysms With Laser-Cut and Braided Stents: A Comparative Analysis of the Literatures

The pEGASUS-HPC stent system for stent-assisted coiling of cerebral aneurysms: a multicenter case series

BACKGROUND

Stent-assisted coiling (SAC) is a well-established method for treatment of wide-necked intracranial aneurysms. In this multicenter, retrospective case series we evaluated SAC with a new low-profile, laser-cut stent with an antithrombogenic hydrophilic polymer coating (pEGASUS-HPC) for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms.

METHODS

Patients treated with pEGASUS-HPC SAC for one or more intracranial aneurysms were retrospectively included. Clinical, imaging, and procedural parameters as well as clinical and imaging follow-up data were recorded.

RESULTS

We treated 53 aneurysms in 52 patients in six neurovascular centers between August 2021 and November 2022. Thirty-seven patients (69.8%) were female. Mean age was 57 (±11.7) years. Twenty-nine patients were treated electively, 23 in the acute phase (22 with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), and 1 with a partially thrombosed aneurysm causing ischemic events). One intraprocedural thromboembolic event and three postprocedural ischemic complications occurred in two (8.7 %) of the SAH patients and in one of the elective patients (3.45%). Overall aneurysm occlusion was Raymond Roy (RR) I in 36 (69.2%), RR II in 9, and RR III in 9 cases. Follow-up imaging was available for 23 patients after an average of 147.7 (±59.6) days demonstrating RR I occlusion in 22 (95.5%) and RR II in 1 patient.

CONCLUSION

SAC with the pEGASUS-HPC stent system demonstrates rates of periprocedural safety and effectiveness that are comparable with previously reported series for stent-assisted coil embolization.

Comparison of LVIS and Enterprise stent-assisted coiling embolization for ruptured intracranial aneurysms: a propensity score-matched cohort study

The role of a low-profile visualized intraluminal support stent (LVIS) and Enterprise in the treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms is well established. Although previous studies have investigated one single type of stent for the treatment of ruptured intracranial aneurysms (RIA), the safety and efficacy between the two types of stents has not been fully explored. Herein we conducted a study to compare the outcomes of the two stents for treatment of RIA. This is a prospective registry database of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) patients admitted to a single institution between 2018 and 2021. We collected patient baseline information, secondary complications, follow-up angiographic data, long-term prognostic outcomes, and conducted propensity score matching (PSM) analysis with 1:1 ratio and a multivariable logistic regression to compare the outcomes of the two types of stents. A total of 231 patients with RIAs were included in this study, with 108 treated using the LVIS device and 123 treated using the Enterprise device. Before PSM analysis, only the incidence of poor prognosis after 12 months was higher in the Enterprise group comparing to the LVIS group (20% vs. 10%, P = 0.049). After PSM analysis, there was a higher occurrence of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) in the Enterprise group compared to the LVIS group (odds ratio [OR] 3.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.20-13.01], P = 0.024). However, no significant difference in prognosis was observed after PSM adjustment. Furthermore, subgroup analysis revealed that patients with female (P = 0.019), hypertension (P = 0.048), and anterior circulation aneurysms (P = 0.019) receiving the Enterprise device had a higher risk of DCI. The overall efficacy of LVIS and Enterprise in the treatment of RIA is comparable, while the incidence of DCI in the LVIS group is lower than that in the Enterprise group after PSM analysis. Registration number: NCT05738083 ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ ).

Laser-Cut Stent-Assisted Coiling of Wide-Necked Giant Cavernous ICA Aneurysm: Inviting a Catastrophe

Management of wide-necked aneurysms in cavernous ICA has significantly evolved in the endovascular era, with flow diverters and stent-assisted coiling being an effective modality. It is vital to select the type of stent according to the arterial anatomy, hemodynamics, and device characteristics. We report a catastrophic complication of laser-cut stent used for SAC of cavernous ICA aneurysm performed at another center 5 years back, presenting with regrowth and massive life-threatening epistaxis managed successfully. In tortuous angulated anatomy, laser-cut stents are difficult to place, poorly visible, and the device opening is uncertain. Unlike braided stents, laser-cut stents do not provide flow diversion effect, stent migration, and buckling phenomena are more likely to occur with laser-cut stents. We intend to discuss the technical fallacies behind using laser-cut stents in such case scenarios and the optimal treatment approach for such cases with an attitude to learn from such complications.

Appraisal of the Flow Diversion Effect Provided by Braided Intracranial Stents

Objective: Comparison of the results of stent-assisted coiling (SAC) with braided stents (BS), flow diverters (FD), and laser-cut stents (LCS) to determine the relative flow-diverting capacity of BS (Leo baby and Accero). Methods: Saccular intracranial aneurysms treated by SAC and FD-assisted coiling were retrospectively evaluated. Aneurysm occlusion, as graded per Raymond-Roy score, was categorized as either recanalization/stable residual filling (Group A; lacking a flow diversion effect) or stable/progressive occlusion (Group B with a "flow diversion effect"). Factors predicting the flow diversion effect were evaluated. Results: Of the 194 aneurysms included, LCS, BS, and FD were used in 70 (36.1%), 86 (44.3%), and 38 (19.6%) aneurysms, respectively. Aneurysms treated by FD were larger, had wider necks, and were located on larger parent arteries (p < 0.01, 0.02, and <0.01, respectively). The mean imaging follow-up duration was 24.5 months. There were 29 (14.9%) aneurysms in Group A and 165 (85.1%) in Group B. Among a spectrum of variables, including sex, age, aneurysm size, neck width, parent artery diameter, follow-up duration, and stent type, the positive predictors for stable/progressive aneurysm occlusion were aneurysm size and placement of an FD or BS (p < 0.01 and p < 0.01, respectively, and were positive predictors over LCS: ORs 6.34 (95% CI: 1.62-24.76) and 3.11 (95% CI: 1.20-8.07), respectively) in multivariate analysis. Conclusions: The placement of BS was a predictor of flow diversion over laser-cut stents. However, the flow diversion effect was approximately half that of FDs, suggesting that BS may only be considered to have some (partial) flow diversion effects.

Surgical Clipping of Intracranial Aneurysms Using a Transcranial Neuroendoscopic Approach

OBJECTIVE

This retrospective study was performed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of surgically clipping intracranial aneurysms using a transcranial neuroendoscopic approach.

METHODS

A total of 229 patients with cerebral aneurysms were included in our study, all of whom were treated with clamping surgery at Wuhan University People's Hospital. They were divided into neuroendoscopic and microscopic groups, according to whether or not neuroendoscopy was used for the clamping surgery. We statistically analyzed the patients' baseline data, surgical outcomes, and complications, which were then evaluated to assess the treatment effect.

RESULTS

The baseline characteristics were not statistically significant, except for gender, for which the proportions of female patients in the two groups were 69 (56.1%) and 46 (43.4%). There were no patients with incomplete aneurysm clamping or parent vessel occlusion in the neuroendoscopic group, and there were 4 (3.8%) and 2 (1.9%) in the microscopic group, respectively; however, there was no statistically significant difference in the comparison of the two groups. The mean operative times of the two groups were 181 min and 154 min, respectively, and were statistically different. However, the mRS scores of the two groups showed no significant difference in patient prognosis. The differences in complications (including limb hemiplegia, hydrocephalus, vision loss, and intracranial infection) were not statistically significant, except for cerebral ischemia, for which the proportions of patients in the two groups were 8 (6.5%) and 16 (15.1%).

CONCLUSIONS

Neuroendoscopy can provide clear visualization and multi-angle views during aneurysm clipping, which is helpful for ensuring adequate clipping and preventing complications.

Treatment of broad-based intracranial aneurysms with the LVIS EVO stent: a retrospective observational study at two centers with short- and medium-term follow-up

The use of stents is well established in the treatment of broad-based intracranial aneurysms. The aim of this study is to report on safety, feasibility and midterm follow-up of the new LVIS EVO braided stent for the treatment of cerebral aneurysms. All consecutive patients with intracranial aneurysms who were treated with the LVIS EVO stent in two high volume neurovascular centers were retrospectively enrolled in this observational study. Clinical and technical complications, angiographic outcome and clinical short-term and midterm results were evaluated. The study included 112 patients with 118 aneurysms. 94 patients presented with incidental aneurysms, 13 patients with acute SAH and 2 patients with acute cranial nerve palsy. For 100 aneurysms a jailing technique was used, re-crossing of the stent was performed in 3 cases. For the residual 15 cases the stent was placed as a bail-out or as a second step. Immediate complete occlusion was observed in 85 aneurysms (72%). Midterm follow-up was available for 84 patients with 86 aneurysms (72.9%). One stent showed asymptomatic complete occlusion on follow-up imaging, in all other cases no in-stent stenosis was observed. The rate of complete occlusion was 79.1% at 6 months and 82.2% at 12-18 months. Midterm follow-up data of this retrospective observational cohort of two neurovascular centers corroborates the safety profile of the LVIS EVO device for treatment of ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms.

Enterprise stents versus low-profile visualized intraluminal support stents for stent-assisted coiling of unruptured paraclinoid aneurysms

BACKGROUND

The microsurgical treatment of paraclinoid aneurysms can be challenging due to the anatomical structures that surround them.

OBJECTIVE

This study compared the clinical and angiographic outcomes of unruptured paraclinoid aneurysms treated with enterprise (EP) stents and low-profile visualized intraluminal support (LVIS) stents.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of the clinical and radiological data from 133 patients with 139 unruptured paraclinoid aneurysms, who received an EP or an LVIS stent between January 2017 and June 2021 at Taizhou People's Hospital, was performed. Immediate postoperative and follow-up angiographic results were analyzed retrospectively using the Raymond-Roy occlusion classification (RROC). Any complications following the procedure and the patients' clinical outcomes were noted.

RESULTS

Enterprise stents were used for stent-assisted coiling in 64 patients with 68 aneurysms and LVIS stents were used in 69 patients with 71 aneurysms. Both groups exhibited an increase in the proportion of aneurysms meeting the criteria for RROC class I, but the LVIS group demonstrated a higher rate of aneurysms meeting the class I criteria compared with the EP group, both on immediate postoperative angiography (45.1% vs. 11.8%, p< 0.001) and on follow-up angiography (94.9% vs. 80.6%, p= 0.025). Procedure-related complications were experienced by 9.4% of patients in the EP group (one coil prolapse, two parent artery occlusions, and three thromboembolic events), and 8.7% of patients in the LVIS group (three stent-related thrombosis and three thromboembolic events). There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in relation to perioperative complications (p= 0.746) or favorable clinical outcomes (p= 0.492).

CONCLUSION

A greater proportion of aneurysms in the LVIS group met the criteria for RROC class I compared with the EP group. There is no significant difference in procedural complications or clinical outcomes between EP and LVIS stents. Although no aneurysm recurrence was observed during the short follow-up period, continued monitoring is required.

Utility of low-profile visualized intraluminal support (LVIS™) stent for treatment of acutely ruptured bifurcation aneurysms: A single-center study

Objective

Stent-assisted coiling has been increasingly used in the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. However, its application in ruptured bifurcation aneurysms remains controversial and challenging. This study aimed to present the safety and feasibility of low-profile visualized intraluminal support (LVIS™, LVIS, and LVIS Jr.) stent for acutely ruptured bifurcation aneurysms.

Methods

A total of 41 patients with acutely ruptured intracranial aneurysms arising at the bifurcation were treated with LVIS™ stent-assisted coiling in our hospital between January 2017 and December 2021. The clinical data and angiographic results of the patients were analyzed.

Results

Among these patients, all stents were successfully implanted. According to the immediate angiographic results, 29 aneurysms (70.7%) were completely occluded. Intraoperative thrombosis and hemorrhage occurred in two and one cases, respectively. No post-operative thrombosis or rebleeding events were observed. The clinical follow-up of all patients revealed that 38 (92.7%) cases had favorable outcomes (modified Rankin scale: 0-2). The angiographic results available for the 36 patients during the follow-up period revealed complete occlusion was achieved in 30 patients (83.3%) and residual neck in six patients.

Conclusion

The LVIS™ stent-assistant coiling is a safe and feasible option for acutely ruptured bifurcation aneurysms. Further studies with a prospective design, a larger sample size, and long-term follow-up are needed to validate these findings.

[Microsurgical and endovascular treatment of residual and recurrent cerebral aneurysms]

Cerebral aneurysms are characterized by high risk of adverse outcome due to severe intracranial hemorrhages and their consequences. Aneurysm remnants after incomplete exclusion can cause hemorrhage. Filling of these fragments immediately after surgery is usually defined as residual aneurysms. Recurrent aneurysms develop in the area of excluded aneurysm in long-term period after surgery. The authors analyze foreign and national literature data on the diagnosis and management of residual and recurrent aneurysms. Risk factors, the most common classifications, diagnostic methods and surgical treatment are presented.

Stent-assisted coiling vs. coiling alone of ruptured tiny intracranial aneurysms: A contemporary cohort study in a high-volume center

Objective

This study aims to compare the safety and efficacy of stent-assisted coiling (SAC) with those of coiling alone (CA) for the treatment of ruptured tiny intracranial aneurysms.

Methods

We enrolled 245 patients with ruptured tiny intracranial aneurysms treated with coil embolization. Patients were grouped into SAC and CA groups. Baseline characteristics, periprocedural complications, clinical outcomes, and angiographic results were compared between the two groups. In addition, a subgroup analysis was conducted in the SAC group, and patients were regrouped into low-profile visualized intraluminal support (LVIS) and laser-cut groups to compare the perioperative procedure-related complications and clinical and angiographic follow-up outcomes.

Results

All baseline characteristics were equivalent between the two groups except for aneurysm size and dome-to-neck aspect ratio. The rates of overall procedure-related complications, intraprocedural rupture, postoperative early rebleeding, intraprocedural thrombosis, postprocedural thrombosis, and procedure-related mortality were comparable between the two groups (P = 0.105, 0.145, 0.308, 1.000, 1.000, 0.160, respectively). Nevertheless, the rate of hemorrhagic complication in the SAC group was significantly higher (P = 0.023). The angiographic follow-up outcomes showed that the SAC group had a higher complete occlusion rate and lower recurrence rate (88.2 vs. 67.1%, 5.4 vs. 15.2%, P = 0.001). The clinical outcomes at discharge and follow-up between the two groups demonstrated no significant differences (P = 0.192 and P = 0.085, respectively). For subgroup analysis, LVIS stents were associated with a significantly higher rate of complete occlusion (P = 0.014) and a lower rate of intraprocedural rupture (p = 0.021). Moreover, multivariate analysis showed that there were no predictors for the overall, hemorrhagic, and ischemic procedure-related complications, while Raymond class was an independent predictor of retreatment (OR = 3.508, 95% CI 1.168-11.603; P = 0.029).

Conclusion

Stent-assisted coiling may increase the incidence of hemorrhagic events with favorable angiographic results and comparable clinical outcomes compared with stand-alone coiling. Nevertheless, LVIS stent could improve the safety compared with lazer-cut stent. Simultaneously, considering the better long-term effect, LVIS stent-assisted coiling may be a preferable choice for ruptured tiny intracranial aneurysms.

Transradial versus transfemoral access for endovascular therapy of intracranial aneurysms: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies

Endovascular treatment is widely used in the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. However, neurosurgeons are sceptical about endovascular access via the radial artery. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the effectiveness and safety of transradial and transfemoral artery access in patients with intracranial aneurysms. We systematically searched the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases for studies comparing the two approaches. The primary outcome was total complications, and the secondary outcomes were access site complications, intracranial haemorrhage, stroke, thromboembolism, silent infarct, re-treatment rate, mortality, complete occlusion of intracranial aneurysms, procedure duration, and length of hospital stay. A random-effects model was used to assess the pooled data. Of the 100 identified studies, 6 were eligible (a total of 3764 participants). There were no significant differences in total complications(odds ratio [OR] = 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.33, 1.45], p = 0.32), complete occlusion of intracranial aneurysms (OR = 1.02, 95%CI [0.77,1.37], p = 0.87), procedure duration (mean difference [MD] =  - 6.24, 95%CI [- 14.75, - 1.54], p = 0.95), or length of hospital stay (MD = 2.204, 95%CI [- 0.05, 4.45], p = 0.95), access site complications (OR = 0.49, 95%CI [0.16, 1.52], p = 0.22), intracranial haemorrhage (OR = 1.07, 95%CI [0.49, 2.34], p = 0.86), stroke (OR = 0.59, 95%CI [0.20, 1.77], p = 0.35), thromboembolism (OR = 0.85, 95%CI [0.33, 2.17], p = 0.74), silent infarct (OR = 0.69, 95%CI [0.04, 11.80], p = 0.80), retreatment rate (OR = 1.32, 95%CI [0.70, 2.48], p = 0.39), mortality (OR = 1.41, 95%CI [0.06, 5.20], p = 0.61), immediate occlusion (OR = 0.99, 95%CI [0.64, 1.51], p = 0.95), and occlusion during follow-up (OR = 1.10, 95%CI [0.56, 2.16], p = 0.74) between the transradial and transfemoral groups. This study showed comparable safety and efficacy outcomes between transradial and transfemoral access in patients with intracranial aneurysms treated endovascularly. Future large randomised trials are warranted to confirm these findings.

Procedural Outcome Following Stent-Assisted Coiling for Wide-Necked Aneurysms Using Three Different Stent Models: A Single-Center Experience

Previous case series have described the safety and efficacy of different stent models for stent-assisted aneurysm coiling (SAC), but comparative analyses of procedural results are limited. This study investigates the procedural outcome and safety of three different stent models (Atlas™, LEO+™ (Baby) and Enterprise™) in the setting of elective SAC treated at a tertiary neuro-endovascular center. We retrospectively reviewed all consecutively treated patients that received endovascular SAC for intracranial aneurysms between 1 July 2013 and 31 March 2020, excluding all emergency angiographies for acute subarachnoid hemorrhage. The primary procedural outcome was the occlusion rate evaluated with the Raymond–Roy occlusion classification (RROC) assessed on digital subtraction angiography (DSA) at 6- and 12-month follow-up. Safety assessment included periprocedural adverse events (i.e., symptomatic ischemic complications, symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage, iatrogenic perforation, dissection, or aneurysm rupture and in-stent thrombosis) and in-house mortality. Uni- and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify patient baseline and aneurysm characteristics that were associated with complete aneurysm obliteration at follow-up. A total of 156 patients undergoing endovascular treatment via SAC met the inclusion criteria. The median age was 62 years (IQR, 55–71), and 73.7% (115) of patients were female. At first follow-up (6-month) and last available follow-up (12 and 18 months), complete aneurysm occlusion was observed in 78.3% (90) and 76.9% (102) of patients, respectively. There were no differences regarding the occlusion rates stratified by stent model. Multivariable logistic analysis revealed increasing dome/neck ratio (adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 0.26.; 95% CI, 0.11–0.64; p = 0.003), increasing neck size (aOR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.51–0.96; p = 0.027), and female sex (aOR, 4.37; 95% CI, 1.68–11.36; p = 0.002) as independently associated with treatment success. This study showed comparable rates of complete long-term aneurysm obliteration and safety following SAC for intracranial aneurysm with three different stent-models highlighting the procedural feasibility of this treatment strategy with currently available stent-models. Increased neck size and a higher dome/neck ratio were independent variables associated with less frequent complete aneurysm obliteration.

Long term safety and effectiveness of LVIS Jr for treatment of intracranial aneurysms- a Canadian Multicenter registry

BACKGROUND

The Low-profile Visible Intraluminal Support device (LVIS Jr) has become a commonly used intracranial stent for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. However long-term stability and effectiveness remains to be seen. The purpose of the study was to assess the long-term efficacy, safety and durability of LVIS Jr. in a retrospective multicenter registry.

METHODS

Patients with saccular aneurysms treated at centers across Canada using LVIS Jr for intracranial aneurysms were included in this retrospective registry between the dates of January 2013 and April 2019. Self reported outcomes were collected and used to assess both perioperative and long term safety and effectiveness. Both univariate and multivariate analysis were performed.

RESULTS

Total of 196 patients (132 Women; mean age of 57.6 years) underwent endovascular aneurysm treatment with at least 1 LVIS Jr. stent. Mean aneurysm dome size was 7.4 mm, and mean neck size of 4.3 mm. Mean clinical and imaging follow up were 950 and 899 days respectively. Class I/II was achieved in 85% on long term follow up. Periprocedural morbidity and mortality was 4.6% and 2% and additional delayed morbidity and mortality was 3% and 2.5%. Aneurysm size >10 mm was independent predictor of periprocedural complication (OR 2.59, p = 0.048) while an increased dome to neck ratio >1.5 was independent predictor of increased delayed complications (OR 3.99, p = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

The LVIS Jr. intracranial stent is an effective device in the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. Satisfactory long term occlusion rates can be achieved safely with stent-assisted coil embolization.