title: Retractable self-expandable stent for endovascular treatment of wide-necked intracranial aneurysms: preliminary experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Intracranial stenting combined with endosaccular coiling is a therapeutic alternative for the endovascular treatment (EVT) of wide-necked intracranial aneurysms. The current limitation of available stents is the impossibility to reposition them once they are partially deployed. Recently, the first retractable self-expandable stent has been developed and we sought to evaluate the use of this stent for EVT of wide-necked intracranial aneurysms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between March 2004 and March 2005, 11 patients with an unruptured aneurysm have been selected for this study. In all cases, previous attempts with EVT with the remodeling technique failed or was technically judged difficult. In all patients, EVT combined stent placement (Leo, Balt, Montmorency, France) across the aneurysm neck and subsequent coiling of the sac. Aneurysms were located on the carotid siphon (n = 9), the internal carotid artery bifurcation (n = 1), and the vertebral artery (n = 1). Aneurysms diameter size varied from 3 to 45 mm. Clinical outcome was assessed with the Modified Glasgow Outcome Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EVT was successfully performed and led to an excellent outcome in all patients. The stent could be navigated within cerebral arteries without any exchange procedure. Thanks to its retractability, the stent could precisely be positioned in all cases. Angiographic results consisted of 9 complete occlusions and 2 incomplete occlusions in 2 giant aneurysms. No procedure-related complication occurred.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Leo stent appears very useful for EVT of wide-necked intracranial aneurysms. The advantage of this stent is the possibility to reposition it which allows a very precise positioning across the aneurysm neck.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, Erasme University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium. blubicz@ulb.ac.be
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lubicz
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Leclerc
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Levivier
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brotchi
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Pruvo
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lejeune
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Balériaux
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D015607:Stents; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods