Jailed Artery Ostia Modifications After Flow-Diverting Stent Deployment at Arterial Bifurcations: A Scanning Electron Microscopy Translational Study.

Background: Even though flow-diverting stents are being increasingly used to treat intracranial aneurysms, the fate of jailed side branches remains controversial, with recent clinical data contradicting finding of earlier animal studies that reported patency.

Objective: To quantify the surface area of the ostia after 3 months of jailing by flow-diverting stents as a more accurate means of patency evaluation.

Methods: Ten large white swine were stented by flow-diverting stents placed at common carotid-ascending pharyngeal arterial bifurcation sites.