Introduction
: Endovascular treatment for large and giant aneurysms has included either a reconstructive approach or a deconstructive approach by parent artery occlusion. 1,2 Stent‐assisted coiling and balloon‐assisted coiling were alternative techniques developed to deal with such complex aneurysms, but studies have shown less expected efficacy. This study aims to assess the safety and efficacy of the flow diverter stents for treating large and giant intracranial aneurysms and to examine possible predictors for radiological and clinical outcomes such as location and presence of branching artery, bifurcation, and adjuvant coiling.
Methods
: This study had been conducted on 65 consecutive patients with 65 large and giant aneurysms (size ≥ 10 mm) treated with flow diverters; Periprocedural complications were reported in all patients and clinical outcomes. Follow‐up angiography was done for 60 patients (92.3%) at 12 months.
Results
: The study included 65 patients who harbored 65 aneurysms. The median age was 55.5 years (IQR: 44.25 ‐ 62.75 years), the female represented 70.8 % of all patients. The clinical presentation had been reported (Headache, cranial nerve palsy, motor deficit, seizures, and visual field defect in 40 patients (61.5%), nine patients (13.8%), seven patients (10.8%), five patients (7.7%), and four patients (6.2%) respectively. The vascular risk factors had been reviewed (HTN, DM, smoking, and Hyperlipidemia in 25 patients (9.2%), Six patients (9.2%), sixteen (24.6%), and 10 patients (15.4%) respectively). The median size of aneurysms was 16.4 mm (IQR: 12.50 ‐ 23.85 mm) and the median neck width was 7.15 mm (IQR: 5.85‐10.24 mm). Fourteen aneurysms (21.4 %) had previous treatment, eleven aneurysms (16.9%) were treated by coils only, one case (1.5%) by assisted procedure, one case (1.5%) by previous FDS, and parent artery occlusion in one case (1.5%). Complete occlusion in 50 from 60 aneurysms (83.4%), neck remnant in 8 aneurysms (13.3%), and sac remnant in two aneurysms (3.3%). Periprocedural problems were encountered in 14 patients (21.5%) with morbidity in six patients (9.2%) and mortality in one patient (1.5%). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to discover possible predictors of combined mortality and morbidity and occlusion in Table (1).
Conclusions
: From this study, it could be concluded that Endovascular treatment of the large and giant aneurysms with flow diverters represents a safe method for treating this kind of complex intracranial aneurysms. Complex aneurysms with branching artery and bifurcation were associated with aneurysm persistence and complications respectively while the location of the aneurysm was the only predictor for clinical outcome.
Complications of endovascular treatment for intracranial aneurysms: Management and prevention
