ABSTRACT
Intracranial aneurysms in children account for 4%-5% of all cases, with 20% being considered giant (>25 mm). The main sites of occurrence are the internal carotid artery (ICA) and the middle cerebral artery (MCA). Rupture and secondary subarachnoid hemorrhage occur in approximately 55%-72.5% of cases, with a 10%-23% mortality rate. We report the case of a previously healthy nine-year-old girl who developed sudden, severe right retroocular pain and a holocranial headache as a mode of onset. Besides, the patient presented with double vision, and her relatives sought medical attention. Paresis of the right III, IV, and VI cranial nerves was found at physical examination. An MRI and digital subtraction angiography showed the presence of a giant aneurysm in the cavernous portion of the ICA with a mass effect. The patient was treated surgically through a high-flow bypass using a radial artery graft and trapping of the aneurysm. She had an uneventful postoperative course and was discharged three days after the operation to continue follow-up at the outpatient clinic. The therapeutic options were: a) an endovascular approach using flow diverters or stenting and coiling; or b) surgical treatment with proximal closure of the ICA if the patient had good collateral circulation or trapping the aneurysm combined with a high-flow bypass if the collateral circulation was not good or absent. After discussion, we decided on the surgical option. Even when the surgery was successful in this case, there is no consensus about the best way to treat it; the selection should be based on the center´s experience when confronting this rare entity.
ABSTRACT
Background: Anomalies of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) are rare; among the different types of anomalies, the aplastic or twig-like (Ap/T) MCA is extremely rare and has been reported under various names, including aplastic, unfused, or rete type anomaly. The occurrence of a brain aneurysm associated with this anatomic variant is an even rare event, and probably their development and rupture are related to hemodynamic stress of the tinny wall of vessels forming the network. Case Description: We present a 43-year-old male patient with an explosive and persistent right orbitofrontal headache. A computed tomography showed a right frontobasal hematoma with intraventricular disruption. Magnetic resonance angiography showed a right MCA aneurysm and what seems to be a MCA trunk stenosis. Cerebral digital subtraction angiography demonstrated a plexiform arterial network and one aneurysm arising from the network. The patient was successfully treated by surgical clipping to evacuate the hematoma and to prevent further intracranial hemorrhages. Conclusion: The Ap/T-MCA may be associated with hemodynamic stress with a significant effect through the tinny wall of the vessels causing hemorrhage or leading to the formation and rupture of cerebral aneurysms. Based on a correct diagnosis of the anomaly, treatment can be completed successfully through different standard methods.
