Multiple "mirror" aneurysms involving intracavernous carotid arteries and vertebral arteries: case report.
BACKGROUND
Bilateral intracavernous carotid artery aneurysms are rare. Moreover, the proportion of vertebrobasilar aneurysms in association with multiple aneurysms is extremely low. We describe a rare case of "mirror" aneurysms on the bilateral intracavernous carotid and bilateral vertebral arteries.


METHODS
A 54-year-old male suffered from ophthalmic pain and oculomotor palsy on the left side. Cerebral angiography disclosed a giant left cavernous aneurysm and large asymptomatic aneurysms on the right intracavernous carotid artery and bilateral vertebral arteries. The cavernous sinus syndrome on the left side was successfully treated by left carotid artery ligation. However, 2 years later, severe subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) occurred. Computed tomography revealed thick clots densely distributed in the basal cisterns and third and fourth ventricles, indicating that the SAH originated from one of the vertebral artery aneurysms. Consciousness disturbance progressed rapidly, leading to cardiopulmonary arrest.


CONCLUSIONS
The literature contains no case of mirror intracranial aneurysms involving both intracavernous carotid and vertebral arteries. Multi-staged surgical techniques with optimal combinations of direct clipping, ligation or trapping, and endovascular embolization may be essential for patients with multiple aneurysms to avoid SAH.
Yamada
K
K
Department of Neurosurgery, Miyazaki Prefectural Nobeoka Hospital, Shinkoji, Nobeoka, Japan.
Nakahara
T
T
Kishida
K
K
Yano
T
T
Yamamoto
K
K
Ushio
Y
Y
D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D002426:Cavernous Sinus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*