Far-lateral transcondylar approach for microsurgical trapping of an anterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysm

Neurosurg Focus. 2015 Jul:39 Video Suppl 1:V6. doi: 10.3171/2015.7.FocusVid.14581.

Abstract

Aneurysms of the posterior circulation remain challenging lesions given their proximity to the brainstem and cranial nerves. Many of these aneurysms may best be approached through a retrosigmoid-suboccipital craniectomy with a far-lateral transcondylar extension. In this narrated video illustration, we present the case of a 37-year-old man with an incidentally discovered right-sided anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) aneurysm. Diagnostic studies included CT angiography and cerebral angiography. A suboccipital craniectomy and far-lateral transcondylar extension were performed for microsurgical trapping and excision of the AICA aneurysm. The techniques of the retrosigmoid craniectomy, C-1 laminectomy, condylectomy and microsurgical trapping of the aneurysm are reviewed. The video can be found here: http://youtu.be/JiM3CXVwXnk.

Keywords: aneurysm; anterior inferior cerebellar artery; far-lateral; microsurgical clipping; retrosigmoid craniectomy; suboccipital craniectomy; video.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Video-Audio Media

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cerebellum / pathology
  • Cerebellum / surgery
  • Cerebral Angiography
  • Cerebral Arteries / surgery*
  • Craniotomy
  • Humans
  • Intracranial Aneurysm / surgery*
  • Male
  • Microsurgery / methods*
  • Occipital Bone / surgery*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed