Background: Whether the addition of stenting to intracranial aneurysm coil embolization results in benefit in terms of occlusion rates or additional risk in terms of periprocedural adverse events is not clear.
Objective: To report retrospectively analyzed results of endovascular aneurysm treatment comparing stent-assisted coiling with coiling without stents at our hospital from 2005 to 2009.
Methods: In this retrospectively reviewed case series, aneurysms were grouped as intent-to-treat or initially treated with stent-assisted coiling (A) vs coiling alone (B) or as-treated-those that ultimately received a stent (C) or not (D). Complication and occlusion rates were compared between groups. Some patients crossed from group B to C after receiving stent placement at a later treatment following the initial therapeutic modality (without a stent).
Results: In 459 patients, 489 aneurysms were treated by group as follows: A = 181, B = 308, C = 225, and D = 264. In stent groups (A and C), there were significantly lower frequencies of ruptured aneurysms (A vs B = 11% vs 62%, P < .001; C vs D = 20.4% vs 62.5%, P < .001) and more giant aneurysms (A vs B = 7.3% vs 1.0%, P = .001; C vs D = 5.9% vs 1.1%, P < .001). There was no statistically significant difference in permanent event-related morbidity (A vs B = 4.4% vs 4.2%, P = 1.0; C vs D = 4.4% vs 4.2%, P = 1.0). Average angiographic follow-up after last treatment was 18.2 ± 15 months (median = 14). Higher rates of complete occlusion at last angiographic follow-up were observed in stented aneurysms (A vs B = 64.6% vs 49.7%, P = .001; C vs D = 62.7% vs 48.9%, P = .003).
Conclusion: Stent-assisted aneurysm treatment resulted in higher total occlusion rates than non-stent-assisted treatment, with acceptable, comparable periprocedural event rates.