Results of Temporary Stent-assisted Coil Embolization (CATS) for the Treatment of Wide-neck Aneurysms: A 10-year Single Center Experience

PURPOSE: In intracranial wide-neck aneurysms, simple coil embolization is often not a feasible treatment option. Balloon-assisted coiling comes with the drawback of blood flow impairment, whereas permanent stent placement requires long-term antiplatelet therapy. Temporary stent-assisted coiling (coiling assisted by temporary stenting, CATS) is an alternative that eliminates both disadvantages. Because prior studies included only small numbers of patients, it was our aim to analyze the safety and effectiveness of this technique in a larger cohort of patients. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated all endovascular aneurysm treatments at our institution from 2011 to 2020. Out of a total of 688 aneurysm treatments, we intended to perform 95 (14%) with temporary stent-assisted coiling and included them in our study. RESULTS: Sixty-four (64)% of aneurysms were acutely ruptured, 3% were symptomatic but unruptured, and 33% were incidental. Successful stent recovery was possible in 93% of treatments. Initial complete and adequate occlusion rate were 53% and 82%, respectively. Long-term follow-up at 6 and 12 months was available for 71% and 44% of cases. Aneurysm recurrence was observed in 10% of cases after 6 months, and in 17% after 1 year or later. Periprocedural complications were noted in 12 cases (13%), of which only 1 complication was definitely associated with temporary stent-assisted coiling (1%). One of the periprocedural complications resulted in neurological damage, the other complications were asymptomatic. CONCLUSION: Temporary stent-assisted coiling appears to be a safe and effective treatment method in intracranial wide-neck aneurysms. Procedural safety appears to be comparable with balloon remodeling or permanent stent-assisted coiling, but it comes with the further benefit of diminished need for posttreatment antiplatelet therapy, which may improve the outcome of patients. However, to define the true value and potential benefit of this technique, further prospective studies are required.