ORIGINAL RESEARCH INTERVENTIONAL Stent-Assisted Coiling Versus Balloon Remodeling of Wide-Neck Aneurysms: Comparison of

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stent-assisted coiling and balloon-assisted coiling are 2 well-established techniques for treatment of wide-neck intracranial aneurysms. A direct comparative analysis of angiographic outcomes with the 2 techniques has not been available. We compare the angiographic outcomes of wide-neck aneurysms treated with stent-assisted coiling versus balloon-assisted coiling. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted on 101 consecutive patients treated at our institution, 69 with stent-assisted coiling and 32 with balloon-assisted coiling. Two multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine predictors of aneurysm obliteration and predictors of progressive aneurysm thrombosis at follow-up. RESULTS: The 2 groupswere comparablewith respect to all baseline characteristics with the exception of a higher proportion of ruptured aneurysms in the balloon-assisted coiling group (65.6%) than in the stent-assisted coiling group (11.5%, P .001). Procedural complications did not differ between the stent-assisted coiling group (6%) and the balloon-assisted coiling group (9%, P .5). The rates of complete aneurysm occlusion (Raymond score 1) at the most recent follow-up were significantly higher for the stent-assisted coiling group (75.4%) compared with the balloon-assisted coiling group (50%, P .01). Progressive occlusion of incompletely coiled aneurysms was noted in 76.6 % of aneurysms in the stent-assisted coiling group versus 42.8 % in the balloon-assisted coiling group (P .02). Retreatment rates were significantly lower with stent-assisted coiling (4.3%) versus balloon-assisted coiling (15.6%, P .05). In multivariate analysis, stente