[A case of ruptured internal carotid artery "kissing aneurysms": case report and review of the literature].

OBJECTIVE

A rare case of ruptured kissing aneurysms on the right internal carotid-posterior communicating artery (ICPCA) and -anterior choroidal artery (ICAchA) is reported.

CASE

A 47-year-old female was transferred to our hospital because of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Cerebral angiography revealed two aneurysms on the right ICPCA and ICAchA. Right frontotemporal craniotomy was performed to obliterate them on the day of admission. Despite the presence of angiographical cleavage, these two aneurysms were attached to each other tightly, and it was extremely difficult to dissect the space between them and premature rupture occurred. A Sugita long straight clip was inserted parallel to internal carotid artery to obliterate the body of ICAchA aneurysm and the neck of ICPCA aneurysm. Another straight clip was applied to the neck of the former aneurysm. Both PCA and AchA could be secured successfully. Postoperatively, although she developed symptomatic vasospasm on the 10th day, she discharged without any neurological deficits 40 days later.

CONCLUSIONS

Because of the difficulty in dissection of aneurysms, the operation for kissing aneurysms has been recognized as hazardous and challenging since Jefferson. We emphasize that a clipping technique described above should be kept in mind as a safe value, though meticulous dissection of each aneurysmal neck followed by independent neck clipping is reasonable.