Delayed destabilization and rupture of a giant anterior circulation aneurysm following flow-diverter placement: A case report

Flow-diverting stents have been increasingly utilized for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms, especially when there are factors that go against coil embolization, such as wide neck and large aneurysm size. However, its use does not guarantee success, especially in giant lesions, and failure to obtain aneurysmal obliteration can result in long-term instability of the aneurysmal wall, leading to aneurysmal growth and late rupture. We present the case of a 65-year-old woman who suffered from a late aneurysmal dilation and rupture, 2 years and 4 months after flow-diverting treatment of a giant ophthalmic segment aneurysm. Although not fully understood, the pathophysiology of this phenomenon has one necessary factor: incomplete aneurysmal obliteration. When this scenario is present, two main factors take place: the augmentation of intrasaccular blood flow after stent delivery and the local inflammation caused by partial thrombus formation and the presence of the stent itself. To prevent this complication, complete aneurysmal obliteration must be assured, and the use of combined techniques is encouraged.