A case of growing up aneurysms with occlusion of basilar artery

This is a report of unruptured aneurysms with occlusion of the basilar artery. A 61-year-old female was admitted to our hospital because of dysarthria and numbness of her left face. Angiography revealed occlusion of the basilar artery and severe arteriosclerosis of the bilateral cerebral carotid arteries. Pcom was not visualized on bilateral carotid angiogram. These neurological signs were considered to be derived from vertebrobasilar insufficiency by occlusion of the basilar artery. Right STA-SCA anastomosis was performed to prevent brain stent infarction. Postoperative angiography showed a good filling of both PCA and SCA by collateral circulation via a right STA and an unruptured basilar top aneurysm. Seven months after the bypass surgery angiography disclosed that the basilar top aneurysm was visualized clearly, and its size was unchanged. The fact that there was no thrombus formation in the aneurysm was considered to be due to ticlopidine, and the hemodynamic changes after the bypass surgery were suspected to have increased the intrananeurysmal pressure. Therefore we performed neck clipping of the basilar top aneurysm by using a right pterional approach. Two years after the second operation, the patient complained of severe headache and vomiting. CT scan showed subarachnoid hemorrhage, and angiography demonstrated a newly developed aneurysm which might have ruptured on left internal carotid anterior choroidal artery bifurcation. Emergency neck clipping of the second aneurysm was performed and the patient showed a good postoperative course. The newly developed second aneurysm might have been caused by severe arteriosclerosis and hypertension in addition to hemodynamic stress.