Aspirin Monotherapy in Flow Diversion of Selected Internal Carotid Artery Aneurysms

Background: Dual antiplatelet therapy has been adopted as the standard of care for intracranial stenting, including flow diversion of cerebral aneurysms, to reduce the risk of acute and delayed ischemic complications.

Case Description: This is a report of 2 cases in which patients who underwent flow diversion of unruptured internal carotid artery aneurysms were treated with aspirin monotherapy. Neither patient tolerated dual antiplatelet therapy, one because of nosebleeds due to hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia and one because of an unnamed bleeding disorder. The lesions-a previously coiled, recanalizing dorsal internal carotid artery aneurysm and a small superior hypophyseal aneurysm-were each treated with a single Pipeline Flex embolization device and were completely occluded with normal-appearing parent vessel on 12-month follow-up digital subtraction angiography.

Conclusions: This is the first report of patients electively treated with flow diversion using Pipeline Flex embolization device on aspirin monotherapy in the literature.