Early clinical experience with the p48MW HPC and p64MW HPC flow diverters in the anterior circulation aneurysm using single anti-platelet treatment.

BACKGROUND: The p64MW HPC and p48MW HPC flow diverters have reduced thrombogenicity due to hydrophilic coating. The purpose of this study was to evaluate its safety and efficacy in Mongolian patients under single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) with prasugrel. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of patients enrolled into our prospectively maintained database to identify all patients treated with either the p48MW HPC or p64MW HPC under SAPT. We recorded baseline demographics, aneurysm size and location, procedural complications, angiographic and clinical results. RESULTS: 24 patients, (female = 21, 87.5%), age 48.2 ± 11.6 years (range 25-63) underwent treatment of 30 aneurysms with either p64MW HPC or p48MW HPC. All aneurysms were saccular with dome width 8.2 ± 6.5 (range 1.6-26.0 mm) and dome height 7.6 ± 6.7 (range 1.6-30.0 mm). None of the aneurysms were previously treated. The average PRU was 54.6 ± 31.2 (range 1-127) on pre-operative VerifyNow testing. Angiographic follow-up was available for 13 patients (17 aneurysms), 183 ± 36 days post-procedure, at which point 64.7% of aneurysms (n = 11/17) were completely occluded and 11.8% (n = 2/17) had only neck remnants resulting in 76.5% of aneurysms being adequately occluded A single intra-operative complication (4.2%) occurred however all patients were mRS ≤1 at last follow-up. There were two post-operative complications neither of which resulted in permanent neurological morbidity. There were no instances of post-operative aneurysmal rupture or delayed parenchymal haemorrhage. The overall mortality was 0%. CONCLUSION: The efficacy and safety of p64MW HPC coated devices under SAPT is similar to uncoated flow diverters that require DAPT.

Risk Factors for Cerebral Aneurysm Rupture in Mongolia.

PURPOSE: Identification of country-specific demographic, medical, lifestyle, and geoenvironmental risk factors for cerebral aneurysm rupture in the developing Asian country of Mongolia. First-time estimation of the crude national incidence of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). METHODS: A retrospective analysis of all intracranial digital subtraction angiographies (DSA) acquired in Mongolia during the 2­year period 2016-2017 (1714 examinations) was performed. During this period, DSA was used as primary diagnostic imaging modality for acute severe neurological symptoms in the sole hospital nationwide dedicated to neurological patients. The catchment area of the hospital included the whole country. Patients with incidental and ruptured aneurysms were reviewed with respect to their medical history and living conditions. The data was used to install a Mongolian aneurysm registry. RESULTS: The estimated annual crude incidence of cerebral aneurysm rupture was 6.71 for the country of Mongolia and 14.53 per 100,000 persons for the capital region of Ulaanbaatar. Risk factors common in developed countries also applied for the Mongolian population: A medical history of hypertension, smoking or the presence of multiple aneurysms led to a higher relative risk of rupture. In contrast, female gender was not associated with a higher risk in this national cohort. Males pursuing a traditional nomadic living may exhibit a specifically high risk of rupture. CONCLUSION: Disease management of over 200 individuals/year with aSAH constitutes a socioeconomic burden in Mongolia. Efforts to raise awareness of the risk factors hypertension and smoking among the Mongolian population are desirable. Measures to improve the nationwide availability of modern neurovascular treatment options are currently under consideration.

Initial experience with the novel p64MW HPC flow diverter from a cohort study in unruptured anterior circulation aneurysms under dual antiplatelet medication.

OBJECTIVE: p64MW HPC is a new low-profile flow diverter with reduced thrombogenicity due to hydrophilic coating. The purpose of this study was to evaluate its safety and efficacy in Mongolian patients under dual antiplatelet therapy. METHODS: Consecutive patients with unruptured anterior circulation aneurysms were prospectively enrolled. All patients received aspirin and clopidogrel before and six months after the procedure, followed by lifelong aspirin medication. High platelet reactivity (VerifyNow) did not trigger further action. The safety and efficacy endpoints were clinical outcome and aneurysm occlusion. RESULTS: In 29 patients (26 female, median age 57 years), 46 aneurysms (neck width 3.3 mm, fundus diameter 3.7 mm, median) were treated. Dual platelet function inhibition was confirmed in eight patients (28%). The response to Clopidogrel was between 100 and 239 P2Y12 reaction units (VerifyNow) in 13 patients (45%). Non-response to at least one drug was found in 8 of 29 patients (28%). One collapsed p64MW HPC required balloon angioplasty. No other periprocedural thrombus formation occurred. Postprocedural MRI revealed lesions with diffusion restriction in 3 of 29 patients. Digital subtraction angiography after three months for 42 of 46 (91%) aneurysms showed an adequate aneurysm occlusion in 25 (60%). Distal p64MW HPC migration of 3 implants was retreated with another p64MW HPC. Follow-up digital subtraction angiography of 26 of 46 (57%) aneurysms after six months showed adequate aneurysm occlusion in 22 (85%). Significant in-stent stenosis or thrombosis, morbidity or mortality was not encountered. CONCLUSION: p64MW HPC implantation in patients under dual antiplatelet therapy with or without dual platelet function inhibition has a low procedural complication rate. The early aneurysm occlusion rate is high.