As we undertook the initial Pipeline cases in Canada, we realized that we were gaining novel insight and experience with each case. We felt it was important to document these and to critically appraise our outcomes. The neurovascular community in Canada is relatively small, thus affording a unique ability to undertake these multicenter collaboration research efforts.

Pipeline remains a revolutionary tool for difficult-to-treat aneurysms; however, there are important limitations. We are not at a stage where flow-diverting stents can be considered an equivalent intervention for aneurysms amenable to conventional surgical or endovascular approaches. Further dedicated study is required. Cavernous aneurysms may represent an exception to this, given the low risk of morbidity in our study. Of course, many of these lesions are asymptomatic and may not require any treatment.

We have also examined our experience in ruptured aneurysms (AJNR in press) and are interested in the long-term significance of entry remnants as they pertain to regression of the aneurysm mass and potential for recurrence.

Read this article at AJNR.org . . .

 

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