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Background and Purpose: Complex wide-neck intracranial aneurysms are challenging to treat. We report a multicenter experience using the LVIS Jr stent for “Y-stent”-assisted coiling embolization of wide-neck bifurcation aneurysms. Methods: Seven centers provided retrospective data on patients who underwent Y-stenting. Technical complications, immediate posttreatment angiographic results, clinical outcomes, and imaging follow-up were assessed. Results: Thirty patients/aneurysms were treated: 15 basilar tip, 8 middle cerebral artery, 4 anterior communicating artery, 1 pericallosal, and 2 posterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysms. The mean aneurysm size was 11 mm and the mean dome-to-neck ratio was 1.3 mm. Twenty-four aneurysms were unruptured and treated electively, and 6 were acutely ruptured. Fifty-eight LVIS Jr stents were successfully deployed without any technical issue. One pro­cedural and transient in-stent thrombosis resolved with the intravenous infusion of a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor. Five periprocedural complications (within 30 days) occurred: 2 periprocedural neurological complications (1 small temporal stroke that presented with transient aphasia and 1 posterior cerebral artery infarct) and 3 nonneurological periprocedural complications (2 retroperitoneal hematomas, and 1 patient developed a disseminated intravascular coagulopathy). One permanent complication (3.3%) directly related to Y-stenting was reported in the patient who suffered the posterior cerebral artery infarct. Immediate complete obliteration (Raymond-Roy Occlusion Classification [RROC] I–II) was achieved in 26 cases (89.6%). Twenty-four patients had clinical and imaging follow-up (mean 5.2 months). Complete angiographic occlusion (RROC I–II) was observed in 23 patients (96%). A good functional outcome with a modified Rankin Scale score ≤2 was achieved in 26 cases. Conclusions: In this multicenter case series, Y-stent-assisted coiling of wide-neck aneurysms with the LVIS Jr device was feasible and relatively safe. Follow-up imaging demonstrated very low recanalization rates.

Background and Purpose: In this article, we present our experience with the recanalization of the middle cerebral artery (MCA), we hypothesize that there are higher rates of recanalization with fewer stent retriever passes and better clinical outcomes in patients with division MCA occlusions. A more complex anatomy at the bifurcation may prevent a faster recanalization in main trunk MCA occlusions. Methods: We retrospectively identified consecutive patients admitted with MCA occlusions who underwent mechanical thrombectomy using stent retrievers. We categorized patients into division MCA and main trunk MCA occlusions based on angiography. Variables were compared between the groups. We further analyzed patients with trunk MCA occlusions to identify reasons for delays in recanalization. Results: There were 32 MCA occlusions that underwent mechanical thrombectomy and eligible for the analysis during the study period. Of those, 11 were main trunk MCA occlusions. Univariate analysis disclosed a trend toward a lower GP-to-recanalization time (p = 0.05) and a lower number of passes required for recanalization in division MCA occlusions. However, there was a significantly better outcome in patients with division MCA occlusion after multivariate analysis. Analyzing main trunk MCA occlusion data, we found that the need for more than one pass to achieve recanalization led to a trend toward a longer GP-to-recanalization time and a worse outcome. When the stent was placed in the dominant division, the chances of recanalization were significantly higher. Conclusions: Division MCA occlusions have higher recanalization rates with fewer stent retriever passes and better clinical outcomes than main trunk MCA occlusions, likely due to a more favorable anatomy. Measures like placing the stent retriever in the dominant division may decrease recanalization times and improve clinical outcomes in main trunk MCA occlusions.