Background and purpose: Since 2002 the Neuroform stent has expanded endovascular treatment of wide-necked intracranial aneurysms. A study was undertaken to assess the technical success rates and angiographic and clinical outcomes in stent-assisted coiling with Neuroform 1, 2, 2 Treo and 3.
Methods: Patients undergoing Neuroform stent-assisted coiling were enrolled in a prospective registry that included 156 stent deployment attempts in 113 consecutive patients (mean age 53, range 25-78). Deployment success and difficulty, stent movement, procedural complications, immediate/delayed aneurysm occlusion and in-stent stenosis on angiographic follow-up were compared among Neuroform 1, 2, 2 Treo and 3 stents using a log likelihood ratio χ2 test.
Results: Of 156 stent attempts, 123 (79%) were deployed (Neuroform 1: 8/9 (89%), Neuroform 2: 50/66 (76%), Neuroform 2 Treo: 9/11 (82%), Neuroform 3: 56/70 (80%)) with a symptomatic complication rate of 1.9% (3/156; 2 transient ischemic attacks, 1 stroke, no deaths). Non-target stent placement (1/8 (13%), 6/50 (12%), 2/9 (22%), 3/56 (5%)), difficult placement (2/8 (25%), 10/50 (20%), 5/9 (56%), 6/56 (11%)), stent movement (1/8 (13%), 4/50 (8%), 0/9 (0%), 4/56 (7%)), procedural complications (1/9 (11%), 7/66 (11%), 2/11 (18%), 2/70 (3%)) and immediate near complete aneurysm occlusion (6/6 (100%), 24/37 (65%), 5/7 (71%), 40/45 (89%)) trended towards improvement with each generation. Improvements in difficult stent placement and immediate aneurysm occlusion were significant (p=0.01 and 0.03, respectively).
Conclusion: Neuroform stent-assisted coiling has evolved through four generations as a safe and effective means of treating wide-necked intracranial aneurysms.