“Shelf” Technique Using a Novel Braided Self-Expandable Stent for the Treatment of Wide-Necked Bifurcation Aneurysms

BACKGROUND: Different endovascular techniques exist for treatment of cerebral wide-necked bifurcation aneurysms (WNBA). We present the “shelf” technique with the novel woven LVIS EVO stent, which enables forming a buttress at the level of the aneurysm neck to prevent coil prolapse and additional stenting. METHODS: Single-center retrospective analysis of patients treated with the “shelf” technique by using LVIS EVO stent in incidental WNBAs between January 2020 and March 2021. Inclusion criteria were saccular aneurysms with neck width ≥4 mm or a dome/neck ratio ≤2. Primary endpoint was a favorable navigation to the target vessel and successful deployment of the LVIS EVO stent with forming a buttress that enables aneurysm occlusion by subsequent coiling. Secondary endpoints were aneurysm occlusion on follow-up, procedure-related complications and clinical outcome. RESULTS: A total of 15 patients were included. The primary end point was reached in 100% of cases. A complete aneurysm occlusion at the end of the procedure was achieved in 14/15 patients (93%). No intraprocedural complications occurred. All patients except one were discharged with an modified Rankin Scale (mRS) of 0. Procedure-related morbidity was 7%. Median follow-up imaging was 115 days (7–419 days) and available for 11/15 (73%) of the patients. Of those, 10 (91%) individuals had a complete aneurysm occlusion and 1 showed a residual neck. In all patients, the covered branch was patent and no ischemic complications occurred during follow-up. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the “shelf” technique with LVIS EVO stents as a feasible and safe treatment option for WNBAs with very good short-term occlusion rates.