Treatment of intracranial arterial lesions with covered stents

Objective: We present our preliminary experience on the treatment of intracranial arterial lesions with covered stent in a series of patients. Methods: 20 patients have been treated by using Jostent coronary covered stent deployed in the parent artery across the lesions, which included aneurysms, iatrogenic or traumatic arterial injury, and traumatic carotid-cavernous fistula (TCCF). The profile of stent was determinded with the diameter of parent artery and the length of lesion. 5 cases of intradural vertebral aneurysms, 7 internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysms (1 petrous, 2 cavernous, 2 ophthalmic, 2 supracliniodal segment), 1 iatrogenic ICA injury, 3 traumatic ICA aneurysms, 3 traumatic carotid cavernous fistula and 1 ICA cavernous segment stenosis with spontanous CCF were treated. 21 Jostent covered stent had been used. Combination of bare stent and covered stent were used in 3 cases. Results: Technical success were achieved in 17 cases. Each case had one lesion. Lesions were excluded from circulation in 14 cases. There were 3 cases with lesion reminants or endoleakage just after treatment, but disappeared soon in the follow-up angiography. No complication was found in successful cases. Covered stent deployment were failed in 3 cases. One had transient slight paraplegia. There was no severe complication or death. Conclusion: Excluding the lesion from circulation with covered stent has been proved to be an effective reconstructive treatment of intracranial arterial lesions. Further research and development are needed to make the indication even broader.