Initial clinical experience with matrix detachable coils for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms.

Object: The Matrix detachable coil is a new bioactive, bioabsorbable coil used in the endovascular embolization of intracranial aneurysms. It has a platinum core covered with a bioactive, bioabsorbable polymer (polyglycolic acid/lactide). The authors report on their initial midterm clinical experience with the first-generation Matrix detachable coil.

Methods: One hundred twelve patients harboring 118 aneurysms were treated using Matrix coils. Forty-nine aneurysms (41.5%) were associated with acute subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Twenty-four lesions (49%) were harbored by patients with Hunt and Hess Grade I, 11 (23.4%) by patients with Grade II, eight (16.3%) by those with Grade III, and six (12.2%) by those with Grade IV. Four aneurysms (3.4%) were harbored by patients who had presented with nonacute SAH. Sixty-five aneurysms (55%) were unruptured. Fifty-seven lesions (48.3%) were small with a small neck, 29 (24.6%) were small with a wide neck, 30 (25.4%) were large, and two (1.7%) were giant. All patients were followed up to obtain angiography and clinical outcome data. Technical complications occurred in six patients: two thromboembolic complications and four aneurysm perforations. Of these six patients, the status of two deteriorated because of aneurysm perforation and another two because of thrombus formation (morbidity 3.6%). There were five deaths--one due to rerupture after embolization. Angiography follow-up studies of 87 aneurysms were obtained. Seventy aneurysms demonstrated progressive occlusion or a stable neck (80.5%), and 17 had some degree of recanalization (19.5%). The aneurysms originally diagnosed as a neck remnant showed a 15% rate of recanalization.

Conclusions: Matrix coils can be delivered into aneurysms with technical complications similar to those encountered using GDCs. Midterm anatomical outcomes to date have shown moderate improvement in the recanalization rate when compared with those realized using the GDC system. Because of the increased friction associated with the first-generation Matrix coil, the packing density in most aneurysms was less than that achieved with GDCs. Prolonged angiography follow-up evaluations are needed to document long-term efficacy.