Prevention of stent thrombosis with reduced dose of prasugrel in two patients undergoing treatment of cerebral aneurysms with pipeline embolisation devices

Prevention of intracranial stent thrombosis with dual-antiplatelet therapy is widely used in neuroendovascular procedures. However, the rising incidence of inadequate platelet inhibition with clopidogrel may increase complications following stent placement, especially with newer devices that possess a larger total metal surface area. While there are recent reports of prasugrel as an alternative to clopidogrel, there is no clinical evidence in neurointerventional patients regarding the use of a lower maintenance dose as an alternative strategy to gain adequate platelet inhibition while possibly reducing the risk of bleeding. We present 6-month efficacy and safety outcomes of two patients undergoing elective pipeline embolisation that were found to have inadequate platelet response to clopidogrel and subsequently transitioned to prasugrel 5mg daily for the prevention of stent thrombosis.