title: Resolution of trigeminal neuralgia by coil embolization of a persistent primitive trigeminal artery aneurysm.
abstract: The persistent primitive trigeminal artery (PTA) is a rare anastomosis between the carotid artery and basilar artery. While most PTAs are asymptomatic, lateral variants can occasionally compress the trigeminal nerve and precipitate trigeminal neuralgia. Aneurysms of the PTA are exceptionally rare in the literature and have not previously been associated with trigeminal neuralgia. We present the first case of an aneurysm of the PTA causing trigeminal neuralgia. The patient underwent coil embolization of the aneurysm which relieved her symptoms. We propose embolization as a viable therapeutic option for the resolution of trigeminal neuralgia when the condition is secondary to irritation by the high velocity pulsatile flow of an aneurysm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA. travis.r.ladner@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Travis R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Ladner
authors.forename: Moneeb
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ehtesham
authors.forename: Brandon J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Imad S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Mayshan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghiassi
authors.forename: Mahan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghiassi
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Singer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000783:Aneurysm / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000002:abnormalities*; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000002:abnormalities*; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*