Usefulness and problems of Y-Stent and T-Stent assisted coiling for unruptured cerebral aneurysms

We are going to discuss about usefulness and problems of Y-stent and T-stent assisted coiling for unruptured cerebral aneurysms.

A retrospective review was performed to identify patients who were treated using Y-stent or T-stent assisted coiling (Y-SAC, T-SAC) for 25 unruptured cerebral aneurysms from April 2017 to September 2021. Fifteen cases were treated using Y-SAC, 10 were done using T-SAC. Only a case was treated with Low-profile Visualized Intraluminal Support (LVIS; MicroVention TRUMO, Aliso Viejo, California, USA) and Neuroform ATLAS (Striker, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA), Others were done with two Neuroform ATLAS stents.

Y-SAC and T-SAC were succeeded in all cases. In two cases that were treated using Y-SAC, ischemic complications were observed. A patient received additional embolization because subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) was appeared after discharge. On follow-up imaging, complete occlusion (CO) was confirmed in all cases.

The position of deployment of stents was the most important issue. In particular, the second stent should be deployed as to contact the first stent, as possible. The case that the position of the second stent was shifted, and neck was not covered was observed. In the cases that are treated by using T-SAC, microcatheter must be navigated to distal position as possible. In that point, Y-SAC is more applicable. The familiarization of Y-SAC or T-SAC will expand the indication of endovascular treatment for unruptured cerebral aneurysms.