Morphologic and Clinical Outcome of Intracranial Aneurysms after Treatment Using Flow Diverter Devices: Mid-Term...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Interventional Radiology
• Vascular Surgery

Background:

• Complex intracranial aneurysms often pose treatment challenges.
• Conventional surgical or endovascular methods may not be suitable for all cases.
• Flow diverters (FDs) represent a newer endovascular approach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of flow diverters (FDs) for treating complex intracranial aneurysms.
• To assess occlusion rates, clinical outcomes, and complications associated with FD treatment.
• To determine the suitability of FDs for aneurysms not amenable to standard treatments.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 28 patients treated with FDs between February 2009 and March 2013.
• Data collection included aneurysm characteristics, clinical presentation, treatment details, and follow-up results.
• Assessment of neurological deficits, aneurysm occlusion rates (O'Kelly-Marotta score), and complications.

Main Results:

• An overall aneurysm occlusion rate of 77% was achieved, with 59% occlusion by 3 months.
• 14% of patients experienced early neurological deficits (transient or enduring).
• In-stent stenosis (15%) and vascular obliteration (7.4%) were the most frequent complications; severe complications were rare.

Conclusions:

• Endovascular reconstruction with FDs is a modern and effective treatment for complex intracranial aneurysms unsuitable for conventional therapies.
• FDs demonstrate favorable occlusion rates and a low incidence of severe complications.
• Adequate stent overlapping is crucial for successful FD treatment outcomes.