SILK flow diverter for treatment of intracranial aneurysms: initial experience and cost analysis

Background The flow diverting stent is a new and expansive tool in the endovascular therapy of complex intracranial aneurysms. We present our experience using SILK flow diverter (SFD) in patients with complex intracranial aneurysms, and a cost analysis. Methods Between September 2010 and May 2012, 19 consecutive patients with 29 complex intracranial aneurysms were treated with SFD without the adjunctive use of coils. We retrospectively evaluated the technical aspects, thromboembolic events, adjunctive therapies, and short term results in patients with complex intracranial aneurysms treated with SFD. A cost analysis of patients who were treated with SFD was performed and compared with similar sized aneurysms coiled with stent assisted coiling. Results The primary technical success rate was 100%. An adjunctive device was required in two of our patients. The technique related complication rate and the 30 day mortality and morbidity rates were 5% (1/20) and 10% (2/20), respectively. We had a total of 263 patient months of clinical and 166 patient months of imaging follow-up. Follow-up imaging revealed two asymptomatic occlusions of the parent artery. Complete occlusion of the aneurysm with fully patent parent artery was observed in 59% of patients where follow-up images were available. The cost analysis showed that the mean cost of treatment with SFD was significantly cheaper compared with the presumed cost of stent assisted coiling (p<0.001). Conclusions The SFD provides a very feasible, efficient, relatively safe, and cost effective method to treat complex intracranial aneurysms without the use of adjunct coiling.