Vertebral aneurysm of the neck.

We recently encountered a case of a huge vertebral aneurysm involving the entire right neck, extending from the clavicle to the mandibular area. The patient had undergone laminectomy of the cervical spine at age 45 for neuritis or spinal caries. This operative procedure apparently caused a small vertebral laceration and produced the giant aneurysm. The aneurysm was resected under hypothermia in order to protect the brain. One vertebral artery was ligated, but cerebral damage did not occur. Only a few cases of huge aneurysms extending from the clavicle to the mandible have been reported in the literature.