Interest of flow diversion prostheses in the management of unruptured intracranial aneurysms

Abstract

Flow diversion prostheses represent a new endovascular approach aimed at treating patients with large wide-neck aneurysms. Our objective is to present this new technology, to review the clinical studies on efficacy, and to emphasize its current limits. Flow diversion prostheses consist of a cylinder made of a large number of braided microfilaments providing a large metallic surface when deployed and inducing a blood flow diversion outside the aneurysm. Two different brands are currently available. Clinical data supporting their efficacy are currently limited to six non comparative cohort studies that included between 18 and 107 patients. Procedural implantation was shown to be feasible in more than 90% and safe with a thirty-day mortality between 2.8 and 5.5%. Complete occlusion rates at twelve months varied between 85.7 and 100%. Even though promising, the current status of flow diversion prostheses needs further evaluation with randomized, prospective, clinical trials with comparison to conventional strategies including endovascular coiling or surgical clipping.

Figure 1

SILK stent (BALT Extrusion Inc.).

Figure 2

Pipeline embolization device (EV3 Inc.).