Interv Neuroradiol
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We describe our preliminary experience on the feasibility of using the Willis covered stent in patients with carotid-cavernous fistulas (CCFs). Eleven consecutive patients with post-traumatic CCFs referred for treatment with Willis covered stents were enrolled into this prospective study, and were subsequently followed-up at our hospital. Data on technical success, initial and final angiographic results, mortality, morbidity and final clinical outcome, was collected, with follow-up performed at one, three, six and 12 months, and yearly thereafter. ⋯ Clinical follow-up (mean 17.73 ± 6.48 months) demonstrated full recovery in ten patients, and improvement in one. These preliminary results indicate that the use of the Willis covered stent is a feasible procedure, and that it may therefore serve as an alternative treatment for CCFs. Longer follow-up assessments and an expanded clinical trial are needed.
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Case Reports
Coiling after treatment with the woven EndoBridge cerebral aneurysm embolization device. A case report.
Retreatment options after the use of the newly launched Woven EndoBridge cerebral aneurysm embolization device (WEB II) are mostly unknown. Nine months after WEB II implantation, a 55-year-old female patient presented with regrowth of an MCA aneurysm. For the first time, standard balloon-assisted coiling was used to close the regrown aneurysm proximal to the WEB II implant. We report on the feasibility and safety of balloon-assisted coiling after implantation of the WEB II device.
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Annular margin shape is used to characterize lumbar disc abnormality on CT/MR imaging studies. Abnormal discs also have internal derangement including annular degeneration and radial defects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate potential correlation between disc-margin shape and annular internal derangement on post-discogram CT in significantly painful discs encountered at provocation lumbar discography (PLD). ⋯ Disc-margin shape correlates with features of internal derangement in significantly painful discs encountered at PLD. Discs with focal protrusion typically demonstrate RD while generalized bulging discs typically demonstrated degenerative changes only (p<0.001). Disc-margin shape may provide an important imaging clue to the cause of chronic discogenic low back pain.
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Endovascular treatment of complex, wide-necked bifurcation cerebral aneurysms is challenging. Intra/extra-aneurysmal stent placement, the "waffle cone" technique, has the advantage of using a single stent to prevent coil herniation without the need to deliver the stent to the efferent vessel. The published data on the use of this technique is limited. We present our initial and follow-up experience with the waffle cone stent-assisted coiling (SAC) of aneurysms to evaluate the durability of the technique. ⋯ Catheter angiography or MRA at six-month follow-up demonstrated persistent occlusions of aneurysms in seven out of eight patients. Another patient had stable aneurysm occlusion at three-month follow-up study. Our experience in the small series suggests the waffle cone technique could be performed on complex, wide-necked aneurysms with relative safety, and it allowed satisfactory occlusions of the aneurysms at six months in most cases.