Selective endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms with sapphire coils

Endovascular treatment with detachable coils is an accepted alternative to surgical clip placement for intracranial aneurysms. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and reliability of the Sapphire coil, a new platinum coil for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms.

Between August and September 2003, 20 consecutive patients (13 women, seven men; mean age, 49 years; range, 33-77 years) with 20 intracranial aneurysms were referred to our department for endovascular treatment. Fifteen patients presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage, whereas five had asymptomatic, unruptured aneurysms. All patients were treated by selective endosaccular coil placement with the new coils. The remodeling technique was used in five wide-neck aneurysms. Clinical outcomes were assessed with the modified Glasgow Outcome Scale.

Aneurysmal occlusion with the new coils alone was successful in 16 patients and resulted in 12 complete occlusions and four neck remnants. Because of the limited Sapphire product line, additional Guglielmi detachable coils (GDCs) were required in four patients, two of whom received one 3D GDC of 3 mm diameter and two of whom received Ultra-Soft GDCs. Technical complication (stretching of a coil) occurred in one patient. Clinical outcomes were excellent in 14 patients and good in two.

Although the study was limited by its small patient population, the results show that selective endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms with Sapphire coils was not associated with an unexpected incidence of adverse events. Excellent anatomic and clinical results that were obtained in most patients suggest that Sapphire coils may have value in the treatment of intracranial aneurysms.