First clinical multicenter experience with the new Scepter Mini microballoon catheter

Area of Science:

• Endovascular neurosurgery
• Interventional neuroradiology

Background:

• Balloon-assisted techniques enhance endovascular treatment of cerebrospinal vascular malformations.
• The Scepter Mini is a novel dual-lumen microballoon catheter for these procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the initial clinical multicenter experience with the Scepter Mini microballoon catheter.
• To assess its safety, efficacy, and versatility in treating cerebrospinal vascular malformations.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 20 patients treated with Scepter Mini at seven European centers.
• Analysis of clinical data, angiographic features, procedural parameters, and outcomes.

Main Results:

• 34 Scepter Mini catheters used in 20 patients, primarily for cerebral arteriovenous malformations (80%).
• Successful embolization achieved in 60.9% of cases; high navigability ('easy'/'very easy' in 88.2%).
• No device-related complications; technical failures (4/23) due to balloon stability.

Conclusions:

• Scepter Mini shows promise for balloon-assisted embolization of small-feeder cerebrospinal vascular malformations.
• The device is also effective for superselective flow arrest and navigation support.
• The Scepter Mini represents a valuable addition to the neurointerventional toolkit.