Zhao Bing
Director of the Center for Neurovascular Disease Research
Chief Physician, Doctor of Medicine, Associate Professor,

Doctoral Supervisor, Neurosurgery Department
The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, China

 

Jie Shen, Gang Zong, Yu-yang Wang

To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of using the Willis covered stent in the treatment of carotid-cavernous sinus(CCF) and complicated internal carotid artery(ICA) aneurysms.

Our department had accomplished 7 cases of the Willis covered stent implantation. Follow-up angiography was performed 3~9 months after the procedure. Clinical and follow-up data were analyzed retrospectively.

There were 2 cases of traumatic CCF, 1 case of spontaneous CCF, 2 cases of blood blister-like aneurysms (BBA) in the anterior wall of internal carotid artery, 1 case of traumatic pseudoaneurysm in C2 segment of internal carotid artery, and 1 case of giant aneurysm in cavernous sinus segment of the internal carotid artery. Willis covered stents was implanted successfully in all cases. Cases of double-stent included 2 cases of CCF. Complications included stent thrombosis in one case of BBA which cured by tirofiban, as well as membrana tectoria bulge in the case of spontaneous CCF which returned to normal on follow-up angiography 8 months later.

Willis cover stent can directly repair vascular intima, and could be good option to treat CCF, traumatic pseudoaneurysm and BBA of the internal carotid artery. The specific blood flow direction of the Willis cover stent provides another choice of treating giant aneurysm of the internal carotid artery.