Flow diversion of large internal carotid artery aneurysms with the surpass device: impressions and technical nuance from the initial North American experience.

Background: Flow diversion is an important tool for treatment of cerebral aneurysms, particularly large and giant aneurysms. The Surpass flow diverter is a new system under evaluation in the USA.

Objective: To report our initial experience of 20 cases with the Surpass flow diverter to demonstrate its basic properties, the required triaxial delivery platform, and the methodologies used to deploy it during treatment of large internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysms

Methods: Twenty patients with ICA aneurysms ≥10 mm with ≥4 mm neck treated as part of the Surpass IntraCranial Aneurysm Embolization System Pivotal Trial (the SCENT trial; Stryker) were included. Details of patient demographics, aneurysm characteristics, and technical procedures were collected.

Results: Twenty patients (mean age 63.3±1.3 years; range 51-72) with 20 unruptured aneurysms (mean size 13.4±0.9 mm; range 10-21 mm) were treated. For proximal access, 60% of cases had aortic arch ≥grade II, 55% had significant cervical ICA tortuosity, and 60% had cavernous ICA ≥grade II. The Surpass device was implanted in 19/20 (95%) cases. Of 19 cases, a single device was used in 18 cases (95%) and 2 devices in only 1 case (5%). Balloon angioplasty was performed in 8/19 cases (42%). Complete aneurysm neck coverage and adequate vessel wall apposition was obtained in all 19 cases.

Conclusions: Surpass is a next-generation flow diverter with unique device-specific and delivery-specific features compared with clinically available endoluminal flow diverters. Our initial experience demonstrates a favorable technical profile in treatment of large and giant ICA aneurysms.

Trial Registration Number: NCT01716117.