Stent-assisted coil embolization of posterior communicating artery aneurysms

Use of protective stents may not be effective in coil embolization of wide-neck aneurysms involving the posterior communicating artery. Successful implementation depends on the caliber of the vessel, its angle of origin, and the manner in which its orifice is incorporated into the aneurysm. Presented here are the results (clinical and radiographic) of coil embolization in aneurysms of the ICA-posterior communicating artery junction, variably aided by stents. The primary focus is angiographic configurations that impact stent placement.

From a prospective data repository, we retrieved records of 32 consecutive patients with 33 posterior communicating artery aneurysms, all of which were treated by stent-assisted coil embolization between June 2008 and August 2012. Outcomes were analyzed in terms of aneurysm configuration and clinical status.

Stents were positioned entirely in the ICA (n = 26), from the ICA to the posterior communicating artery (n = 2), in the posterior communicating artery only (n = 3), and retrograde from the posterior communicating artery to the ICA terminus (n = 2). Procedure-related complications occurred in 3 patients (9.1%), but only 1 (3.0%) had mild neurologic sequelae (Glasgow Outcome Score 4). Using coil embolization, we achieved successful occlusion in 24 aneurysms (72.7%), and in 9 others, subtotal occlusion was conferred. During a mean follow-up of 15.7 ± 10.7 months, imaging of 27 aneurysms documented stable occlusion in 19 (70.4%), whereas angiography of 15 aneurysms (39.5%) disclosed 2 instances of in-stent stenosis (13.3%) and a solitary occurrence of stent migration (6.7%).

In posterior communicating artery aneurysms, stent protection during coil embolization is feasible by adjusting the procedural strategy to accommodate differing configurations of the aneurysm and its vascular source.