Clinical Analysis of Posterior Circulation Aneurysms

Jung, Ki Young; Lim, Young Jin; Kim, Tae Sung; Kim, Gook Ki; Rhee, Bong Arm; Leem, Won

Abstract

Aneurysms of the posterior circulation are regarded as difficulty in their surgical management because of their infrequency and confined space in front of the brain stem and cerebellum and perforators around brain stem. From Januarym 1983 to August 1990, we are reporting a review of 21 cases of surgically treated posterior circulation aneurysms among 334 cases of surgically treated all intracranial aneurysms. They represent 6.3% of all intracranial aneurysms, the average age of these patients was 45 years with range of 28 to 63 years. Of the 21 patients, 12 had aneurysms of basilar artery bifurcation, 4 had aneurysms of the PCA, and two had aneurysms of the SCA, and two had aneurysms of the PICA and one had aneurysm of the AICA. Five patients had multiple aneurysms and one patient associated with moya-moya disease. There were postoperative complications including nine transient or permanent cranial nerve deficit, three disturbance of consciousness, two aseptic meningitis and one osteomyelitis. Two motor weakness, one intraparenchymal hemorrhage, one epidural hemorrhage, one thalamic infartion. The aneurysms varied on size and included 17 small(<12 mm), 2 large(12 to 25 m), and 2 giant(> or =25 mm). Overall surgical outcome was evaluated "excellent" in 7 cases, "good" in 9 cases, "fair" in 2 cases, "poor" in 2 cases, and one patient expired.