Dissecting aneurysms of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery: retrospective evaluation of management and extended follow-up review in 6 patients.
OBJECTIVE
The authors report the management protocol and successful outcomes in 6 patients with dissecting aneurysms of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA).


METHODS
Medical records and neuroimaging studies of 6 patients who underwent surgical treatment of dissecting PICA aneurysms were reviewed. The mean follow-up duration was 1.8 years. No patient was lost to follow-up review.


RESULTS
Four patients presented with acute subarachnoid hemorrhage and 2 with PICA ischemia. All patients underwent surgery, which entailed proximal occlusion with distal revascularization in 3 cases and circumferential wrap/clip reconstruction in 3 cases. The revascularization techniques used were occipital artery-PICA bypass and PICA-PICA anastomosis. Delayed follow-up angiography was performed in all cases. In patients treated with proximal occlusion, delayed angiography showed minimal retrograde opacification of the dissected segments. The 3 patients treated with wrap/clip reconstruction showed unexpectedly significant normalization of their lesions on angiographic studies. Outcome was good in all cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Dissecting PICA aneurysms are rare lesions with an apparent propensity for bleeding. Individualized management including distal revascularization with PICA sacrifice or circumferential wrap/clip reconstruction to reinforce the dissected segment produced good outcomes. Patients treated with aneurysm wrapping may show dramatic angiographic improvement of the dissected segment.
Nussbaum
Eric S
ES
National Brain Aneurysm Center, St. Joseph's Hospital, St. Paul, Minnesota 55416, USA. lnussbaum@comcast.net
Madison
Michael T
MT
Myers
Mark E
ME
Goddard
James
J
Janjua
Tariq
T
D000328:Adult; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000098:blood supply*; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002548:Cerebral Revascularization; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome