title: Microsurgical clipping of an unruptured basilar apex aneurysm.
abstract: Unruptured posterior circulation aneurysms pose a treatment challenge. Although data supports the use of endovascular technique for select ruptured cases, in unruptured cases, there may be clinical equipoise. Furthermore, wide-necked basilar apex aneurysms commonly require the use of stents and placement of patients on dual therapy. We present a case of a healthy 50-year-old woman with an incidental basilar tip aneurysm treated via an orbitozygomatic craniotomy. This video highlights the steps of dynamic retraction, which is retraction without placement of permanent rigid retraction system, and the added maneuverability afforded by the use of the mouthpiece on the microscope. The video can be found here: http://youtu.be/jVfC6CCXdZY .
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurological Surgery, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona.
authors.forename: M Yashar S
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Kalani
authors.forename: Mark E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Oppenlander
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Levitt
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Safavi-Abbasi
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Spetzler
authors.forename: Joseph M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Zabramski
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000601:surgery*; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed
keywords: aneurysm; clipping