[Endovascular reconstructive treatment of vertebrobasilar fusiform aneurysms by multiple overlapping stents with or...

To explore the feasibility, safety and efficacy of endovascular reconstructive treatment by multiple overlapping stents with or without coils.

Totally 17 patients of vertebrobasilar fusiform aneurysms treated by multiple overlapping stents with or without coils between September 2011 and September 2015 in Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. There were 15 male and 2 female patients with mean age of (47±13) years. Clinical manifestations included subarachnoid hemorrhage in 5 patients, cerebral ischemia or infarction in the posterior circulation in 5 patients, mass effect accompanied with brainstem infarction in 1 patients, headache or dizziness in 4, and incidental findings in 2 patients. Aneurysm located in intracranial vertebral artery in 11 patients, vertebrobasilar junction in 2 patients, and basilar trunk in 4 patients. Mean aneurysmal size was 18.5 mm×8.0 mm(length×width).

Sole stenting with overlapping stents was performed in 8 patients, and overlapping stents with coils was applied in 9 patients. Post-procedural hemorrhage occurred in a patient with a giant basilar trunk fusiform aneurysm and led to death. The 16 surviving patients were clinically followed up for a mean of 21.1 months. One patient had a modified Rankin score of 4, and the other patients had a good recovery. Among 15 patients with a mean angiographic follow-up of 8.6 months, 9 patients had their aneurysms further thrombosed, 3 patients were stable, and 3 patients with a recurred aneurysm. Final complete occlusion was achieved in 7 patients.

Reconstructive treatment by overlapping stents with or without coils is feasible and relative safe in vertebrobasilar fusiform aneurysms.