Safety, feasibility, and mid-term follow-up of Willis stent graft placement in the treatment of symptomatic complicated intra- or extra-cranial aneurysms: a multicenter experience

Minim Invasive Ther Allied Technol. 2010 Dec;19(6):320-8. doi: 10.3109/13645706.2010.527770.

Abstract

We report the technical success rate and mid-term follow-up results after deploying stent-grafts to treat a cohort of patients with symptomatic complicated intra- or extracranial aneurysms (SCIEAs). This study was a retrospective review of 58 patients (39 male; mean age 40.4 ± 12.3 years) with 60 SCIEAs treated by 67 Willis covered stents at three medical centers in China between April 2005 and January 2010. The locations of the SCIEAs were as follows: Intracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) in 54 patients, extracranial ICA in one, intracranial vertebral artery (VA) in three and extra-cranial VA in two. Surgery was successful in 59 (98.3%) SCIEAs. Total exclusion was immediately achieved in 48 SCIEAs, and minor endoleaks were present in 11. Acute thrombosis occurred in two patients and hemorrhage in one. Follow-up angiography (mean 13.8 ± 8.9 months) revealed that 49 of 52 (94.2%) aneurysms were completely isolated, with mild in-stent stenosis in only two patients and in-stent occlusion in one patient. Willis stent-graft application is an alternative therapy to treat SCIEAs in either intra- or extracranial ICAs or VAs. In the case of a tortuous intracranial ICA or potential side branch coverage, however, it is still not a first choice.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aneurysm / pathology
  • Aneurysm / surgery*
  • Angiography
  • Carotid Artery, Internal / pathology
  • Child
  • China
  • Constriction, Pathologic / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Intracranial Aneurysm / pathology
  • Intracranial Aneurysm / surgery*
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Stents*
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vertebral Artery / pathology
  • Young Adult