Symptomatic modifications of side branches after flow diverter treatment depend on the extent and type of collateral supply.

This prospective contemporary series demonstrates a high rate of complete AVM obliteration and excellent functional outcomes in patients with both ruptured and unruptured AVMs treated with transvenous embolization. This approach is promising and warrants further investigation as a treatment for select AVMs.

OBJECT Ruptured cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) with deep localization and high Spetzler-Martin grades are associated with considerable challenges regarding nidus eradication treatment. The authors report their experience with curative endovascular transvenous embolization in a series of patients harboring “untreatable” lesions. METHODS Between January 2008 and June 2013, a transvenous endovascular embolization protocol was implemented at the authors' institution for consecutive patients with ruptured brain AVMs that were considered incurable by classic endovascular and surgical techniques. Therapeutic decision making was based on Spetzler-Martin grades, AVM location, type of venous drainage, and angioarchitectural evaluation. Complete exclusion of the nidus was the objective of treatment. RESULTS Twenty patients (10 male and 10 female, mean age 36.7 ± 17.7 years) were included. Initial Spetzler-Martin grades were III–V for 90.0% of the patients. The lesions were deeply seated in 80% and in eloquent locations in 90% of cases. The preprocedural modified Rankin Scale score was 0–2 for 12 of the 20 patients (60.0%), 3 for 2 patients (10.0%), and 4 for 6 patients (30.0%). The postprocedural clinical status was unchanged for all patients. The procedure was technically feasible in all cases. Procedure-related mortality was 0%. Ninety percent of the patients were independent in their everyday lives (modified Rankin Scale Scores 0–2) at the 6-month follow-up. In all cases but one (95%) the embolization was curative, confirmed by selective DSA at 6 months and 18 months postintervention. CONCLUSIONS Single-session endovascular transvenous embolization seems to be a safe and effective curative treatment for patients harboring complex brain AVMs with high Spetzler-Martin grade.

Background and purposeTo evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the low-profile braided intracranial stents called the Low Profile Visualized Intraluminal Support (LVIS) devices for stent-assisted coil embolization of wide-necked intracranial aneurysms.Materials and methodsThis was a prospective, multicenter, observational study of unruptured and ruptured intracranial aneurysms treated with the LVIS devices. Imaging and clinical data were independently analyzed respectively by CoreLab and Clinical Event Committee. Primary endpoints were clinical safety, effectiveness, and angiographic stability of the results at 6 and 18 months.ResultsTen centers participated in the study; 102 patients were included and 90 patients (42.2% men, 57.8% women) were eventually analyzed, among which 27 (30.0%) had multiple aneurysms. Twenty-three (25.6%) were ruptured aneurysms, four of which (4.4%) were treated in the acute phase. One aneurysm was treated per patient; 92 LVIS and LVIS Jr devices were placed overall. The total aneurysm occlusion rate was 91.0% on immediate post-procedure angiograms, which remained unchanged at 6-month follow-up and was 92.4% at 18-month follow-up. One patient (1.1%) underwent retreatment between 6 and 18 months of follow-up. A modified Rankin score of 0 was documented for most cases immediately after the procedure (86.7%) and at 6-month (86.8%) and 18-month (83.3%) follow-up. The overall permanent morbidity rate at 18 months was 5.6% and the overall rate of events with sequelae related to the stent was 2.2%. The 18-month procedure-related mortality rate was 3.3%. No patient was deemed to require retreatment at 18-month follow-up.ConclusionThe LVIS/LVIS Jr endovascular devices are safe and effective in the treatment of ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms, with acceptable complication rates, very high immediate total occlusion rates, and stable angiographic results.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Flow diverters have been increasingly used lately in off-label, distal intracranial aneurysm treatments. Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of flow diverters in the treatment of middle cerebral artery bifurcation aneurysms and to analyze midterm angiographic patterns of regional flow modifications for safety and clinical outcomes.

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abbreviatioNs ACA = anterior cerebral artery; AChA = anterior choroidal artery; ACoA = anterior communicating artery; ARU = aspirin reaction unit; cICA = cavernous segment of the internal carotid artery; DSA = digital subtraction angiography; DWI = diffusion-weighted imaging; ECA = external carotid artery; MCA = middle cerebral artery; mRS = modified Rankin Scale; OKM = O'Kelly and Marotta; PCoA = posterior communicating artery; PRU = P2Y12 reactivity unit; SAH = subarachnoid hemorrhage; VA = vertebral artery. submitted November 22, 2013. accepted October 7, 2014. iNclude wheN citiNg Published online January 6, 2015; DOI: 10.3171/2014.10.JNS132566. disclosure The authors report no conflict of interest concerning the materials or methods used in this study or the findings specified in this paper. obJect It was initially considered safe for flow-diverting stents to cover the ostia of branching vessels during endovascular procedures for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. As more recent evidence suggests, however, their use is not always free of ischemic concerns in terms of covered arterial ostia. The authors sought to determine the frequency of silent and clinically evident diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)-detected abnormalities related to stent placement as a means of elucidating potential clinical risks. methods This is a prospective single-center study on a series of patients with intracranial aneurysms that were treated with flow-diverting stents. All patients systematically underwent an MRI protocol that included DWI before treatment, between 24 and 48 hours postprocedure, and 3 months postembolization. Effectiveness of anticoagulation treatment was assessed for all patients. Lesions seen on DWI were correlated to the parent artery and the side-branch territories and were statistically analyzed in relation to their time of occurrence and clinical presentation. The authors compared the DWI findings in these patients to findings obtained in patients treated with a stent-assisted coiling technique during the same time period. results Over the course of 18 consecutive months, 38 consecutive patients (7 males and 31 females) with 49 intracranial aneurysms were treated using flow-diverting stents. Overall, 81.6% of the DWI spots found remained clinically silent during the follow-up period. Five ischemic clinical complications (13.2%) occurred in the postprocedural period. No statistically significant correlation could be established between DWI spots or aneurysm location and clinical complications or follow-up modified Rankin Scale score at 3 months. The complication rate was 7.8% (n = 3) at the 3-month follow-up, and mortality was 0%. Compared with stent-assisted coiling, use of flow-diverting stents showed a statistically significant correlation with silent DWI findings postintervention. coNclusioNs Lesions seen on DWI resulting from the procedure are far more common than anticipated, but the technique remains safe and effective, providing an interesting alternative for "difficult" aneurysms, regardless of ...

BackgroundThe treatment of low grade Spetzler-Martin (SM) brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) has been debated in unruptured cases. Nevertheless, in clinical practice there are cases where treatment is preferred; in these cases a very low complication rate is mandatory. In ruptured cases, early and complete obliteration of the nidus is the preferred strategy.ObjectiveTo achieve curative embolization, ideally in a single session, by dual microcatheterization techniques with arterial and/or venous access, according to the angioarchitecture.Materials and methodsThis is a prospective, single-center study carried out between January 2008 and January 2016. Patients with ruptured and unruptured brain AVMs, with SM grades I and II, treated by endovascular means, were included. Demographics, clinical presentation, angioarchitecture, and procedure-related complications were analyzed. Angiographic and clinical results were reported.ResultsSeventy-three patients, aged 40.5±17.8 years, were included. More than 60% of the patients presented with ruptured AVMs. Initial SM grades were I for 22% and II for 78% of the patients. Preprocedural modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score was 0–2 for 53 (72.6%), 3 for 12 (16.4%), 4 for 5 (6.8%) and 5 for 3 (4.1%) patients. Procedure-related morbidity was 2.7% and procedure-related mortality was 0%. Ninety percent (90.5%) of the patients were independent in their everyday lives (mRS score 0–2) at 6 months. In all but one case (95%) the embolization was curative.ConclusionStand-alone endovascular treatment for SM grade I and II brain AVMs seems safe and effective, allowing for complete obliteration of the nidus, with low complication rates. A study of larger cohorts is needed.