PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Yi, A.C.
AU  - Palmer, E.
AU  - Luh, G.Y.
AU  - Jacobson, J.P.
AU  - Smith, D.C.
TI  - Endovascular Treatment of Carotid and Vertebral Pseudoaneurysms with Covered Stents
AID  - 10.3174/ajnr.A0946
DP  - 2008 May 01
TA  - American Journal of Neuroradiology
PG  - 983--987
VI  - 29
IP  - 5
4099  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/29/5/983.short
4100  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/29/5/983.full
SO  - Am. J. Neuroradiol.2008 May 01; 29
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Endovascular treatment of vascular lesions has revolutionized the treatment of arterial pseudoaneurysms. We describe our experience in treating carotid or vertebral pseudoaneurysms with covered stents.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten patients with carotid or vertebral pseudoaneurysms treated with self-expanding or balloon-expandable covered stents were retrospectively reviewed after we obtained institutional review board approval. Distal protection devices were not used. All patients except 1 received anticoagulation therapy. Antiplatelet therapy was used in 8 of 10 patients. Follow-up was performed from 5 days to 25 months. Patients were followed with digital subtraction angiography, CT angiography (CTA), and/or sonography (US).RESULTS: Pseudoaneurysm occlusion was obtained in all 10 patients. None of the pseudoaneurysms recanalized during the follow-up period. One patient had a distal embolization to the middle cerebral artery despite anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy. One patient who did not receive any anticoagulation had stent occlusion at 4.5 months. Anticoagulation was stopped after 6 months in 2 patients with persistent stent patency and no neurologic complications for >1 year. Both US and CTA were useful for extracranial stent surveillance. CTA was helpful for intracranial stent surveillance.CONCLUSION: In this small series, the use of covered stents allowed safe and effective treatment of pseudoaneurysms occurring in the cervical and cephalic segments of the carotid and vertebral arteries.