Solitaire AB Stent-Assisted Coiling of Wide-Necked Intracranial Aneurysms: Mid-term Results From the SOLARE Study

BACKGROUND: Endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms can be technically difficult when the neck is wide. The Solitaire AB stent (Covidien, Irvine, California), the only fully retrieved stent, assists in the coiling of wide-neck intracranial aneurysms. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the mid-term angiographic follow-up of wide-necked aneurysms treated with the Solitaire AB stent. METHODS: SOLARE (SOLitaire Aneurysm Remodeling) is a consecutive, prospective study conducted in 7 European centers. A core laboratory evaluated the postoperative and mid-term (6 month +/- 15 days) angiographic results by using the Raymond classification Scale. Recanalization was defined as worsening, and progressive thrombosis was defined as improvement in the Raymond scale score. RESULTS: The mean width of the aneurysm sac was 7.5 mm, and the mean diameter of the aneurysm neck was 4.7 mm. Angiographic mid-term follow-up was obtained in 55 of 65 aneurysms (85.9%). Complete occlusion was achieved in 33 aneurysms (60%); a neck remnant was seen in 16 aneurysms (29.1%) and an aneurysm remnant in 6 aneurysms (10.9%). Of 55 aneurysms, recanalization was observed in 8 aneurysms (14.5%), and progressive thrombosis was observed in 17 aneurysms (30.9%). No bleeding or rebleeding was observed during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Stent-assisted coiling of wide-necked intracranial aneurysms was found to be safe and effective with the Solitaire AB stent at 6-month follow-up. Angiographic results improve with time due to progressive thrombosis of the aneurysm.