Object: The use of intracranial stents in stent-assisted coil embolization is now a current neurosurgical practice worldwide. The clinical utility of these stents in the sole stenting (SS) technique, however, has not been thoroughly described, and the published reports of this experience are scarce. This study was designed to evaluate SS treatment of dissecting and nondissecting aneurysms of the posterior circulation. Methods: This prospective and descriptive study was conducted in 20 consecutive patients who harbored single aneurysms of the posterior circulation and who were treated using the SS approach in the last 3 years. The clinical and radiological assessment and follow-up of the patients were evaluated using the modified Rankin scale as well as with computed tomography angiography and digital subtraction angiography at discharge and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. Results: Eleven of the 20 patients had subarachnoid hemorrhages, 3 presented with ischemia, 1 presented with brainstem compression, and the remaining 5 patients had incidentally discovered, asymptomatic lesions. Only 1 patient had a complication (occipital infarction) attributable to the SS procedure. One patient died of rebleeding 2 weeks after the procedure. At 1 month, 40% of the patients had a subtotal or total occlusion, which increased to 55% at 3 months and 85% at 6 months, with a final subtotal or total occlusion rate of 80% at 1 year. The SS procedure in 1 case was considered a failure at 6 months because no change had been noted since the 1-month follow-up. One case showed partial occlusion and 1 case showed recanalization. Conclusions: Use of SS for aneurysms in the posterior circulation complex is a safe and effective technique, demonstrating an occlusion rate of 80% at the 1-year follow up.

Object: So-called direct carotid-cavernous fistulas (CCFs) are commonly treated by detachable balloons or coils to occlude the shunt while sparing the carotid artery. Liquid embolic agents have been rarely used, and in particular, to the authors' knowledge, the use of Onyx as the sole agent has never been reported in an indexed publication. Methods: The authors describe a case series of 5 patients with posttraumatic CCF in whom embolization with Onyx was prospectively used as the sole strategy of management. Results: Complete occlusion was obtained at the end of the procedure in 4 cases, and the lesion in the remaining patient subsequently occluded at the 6-month follow-up evaluation. Conclusions: As endovascular techniques for treatment of direct CCFs continue to evolve, this novel approach with Onyx as the sole embolic material seems promising in treating these lesions.

Object: The cumulative experience worldwide indicates complete radiosurgical obliteration rates of brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) ranging from 35 to 90%. The purpose of this study was to propose a strategy to increase the obliteration rate for AVMs through the dynamic definition of the key target volume (KTV). Methods: A prospective series of patients harboring an AVM was assessed using digital subtraction angiography in which a digital counter was used to measure the several stages of the frame-by-frame circulation time. All the patients were analyzed using dynamic measurement planning to define the KTV, corresponding to the volume of the shunt with the least vascular resistance and the earliest venous drainage. All patients underwent catheter-based angiography, a subgroup was additionally assessed by means of a superselective catheterization, and among these a further subgroup received embolization. The shunts were also categorized according to their angioarchitectural type: fistulous, plexiform, or mixed. The authors applied the radiosurgery-based grading system (RBGS) as well to find a correlation with the obliteration rate. Results: This series includes 44 patients treated by radiosurgery; global angiography was performed for all patients, including dynamic measurement planning. Eighty-four percent of them underwent superselective catheterization, and 50% of the total population underwent embolization. In the embolized arm of the study, the pretreatment volume was up to 120 ml. In patients with a single treatment, the mean volume was 8.5 ml, and the median volume was 6.95 ± 4.56 ml (mean ± standard deviation), with a KTV of up to 15 ml. For prospectively staged radiosurgery, the mean KTV was 28 ml. The marginal radiation dose was 18–22 Gy, with a mean of dose 20 Gy. The mean RBGS score was 1.70. The overall obliteration rate was 91%, including the repeated radiosurgery group (4 patients), in which 100% showed complete obliteration. The overall permanent deficit was 2 of 44 patients, 1 in each group. Conclusions: Dynamic definition of the KTV might increase the obliteration rate, even in complex AVMs, allowing the treatment of smaller volumes off the recruitment vessels (pseudonidus). By using this technique, the authors avoided double-blind treatment, where the neurosurgeon does not know precisely which type of lesion he or she is irradiating and the interventionalist does not know why and what he or she is embolizing.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Vertebrobasilar aneurysms have a risk of rupture ranging from 2.5 to 50% (especially those larger than 7 mm) and a repeat bleeding rate of between 30 and 70%. For this reason, patients with aneurysms larger than 7 mm should be treated. Considering the high complexity of surgical approaches in this area, an increasing number of reported cases are being treated with endovascular therapy. The purpose of this article is to determine the effectiveness and safety of sole stenting bypass in the treatment of three consecutive patients with vertebrobasilar aneurysms. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: Three patients (one woman and two men) with vertebrobasilar junction aneurysms were included in this study. Two of the patients presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage. INTERVENTION: An endovascular procedure was performed under general (two patients) or local (one patient) anesthesia and via a right femoral approach. By use of road map guidance, sole Express (one patient) or Express 2 (two patients) coronary stents (Boston Scientific/Scimed, Maple Grove, MN) were deployed on the diseased vessel. When the stent was in place, an immediate partial thrombosis of the aneurysm was observed, related primarily to an intra-aneurysmal flow pattern modification, possibly facilitated by modification of the angle of the parent vessel. Follow-up angiograms showed complete exclusion of the aneurysms within the circulation. Only one patient presented visual deficit as a thrombotic complication, but it disappeared completely 6 months after treatment. CONCLUSION: The sole stenting bypass technique seems to be a good alternative for the treatment of complex vertebral aneurysms by inducing thrombosis of the aneurysm with preservation of the parent vessel lumen.