Endovascular procedures for treating wide-necked aneurysms.

Wide-necked aneurysms remain difficult to treat by either open microneurosurgical or endovascular procedures. Recent advances in the latter technology, including intracranial stents and bioactive coils, now allow an endovascular treatment option for cases in which this was not previously available. In this report the authors describe the new developments in endovascular technologies that make the treatment of wide-necked aneurysms possible. This includes discussion of intracranial stents and bioactive coils designed to promote obliteration of the aneurysm lumen. In addition, methods for coil insertion in wide-necked aneurysms are described, including balloon remodeling and various stent placement procedures. Wide-necked aneurysms previously thought to be untreatable by endovascular means can now be obliterated, thanks to new devices specifically designed for intracranial use.