Dissecting Aneurysm of the L1 Radiculomedullary Artery Associated with Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Case Report

Clip Ligation and Disconnection of a Ruptured Ventral Subaxial Cervical Isolated Spinal Aneurysm Using Tailored Access Osteotomies: An Operative Technique

BACKGROUND

Isolated spinal aneurysms (iSAs) are lesions of the spinal vasculature with no associated vascular malformation with difficult management paradigms limited by safe access.

OBJECTIVE

To describe a case of an irregular fusiform ruptured distal subaxial cervical spine iSA with a complex angioarchitecture intimately associated with the ventral pial plexus (VPP), treated using open clip ligation and disconnection.

METHODS

A 51-year-old woman presented with complete spinal cord injury with a C8 sensory level and ventral subarachnoid hemorrhage at the C6-T1 vertebral levels. After emergent anterior evacuation and fusion, angiography revealed a small iSA around the VPP. A total laminectomy spanning C5 to T3 was completed, and bilateral C7 pedicle resections were performed. A temporary clip was placed from the left for proximal control, and a permanent clip was placed across the dome of the distal vessel for disconnection. The dura was then closed, and a cervicothoracic fusion completed.

RESULTS

Postoperative angiography confirmed iSA disconnection and obliteration with anterior spinal artery preservation. The patient had intermittent numbness in the right C8 dermatome. On postoperative day 1, she regained proprioception in the right foot and movement in the lower extremities on command. On postoperative day 3, she regained full sensation and voluntary movement in both lower extremities.

CONCLUSION

iSA is a rare and morbid condition with nonstandardized guidelines regarding management. We promote the concept of using tailored osteotomies to establish safe corridors for the open treatment of difficult subaxial cervical ventral lesions not amenable to transarterial treatment. Multidisciplinary collaboration is promising, and further investigation is highly warranted.

Isolated Cervical Ruptured Radiculomedullary Artery Aneurysm Predominantly Presenting as Supratentorial Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Case Report and Review of the Literature

A spinal artery aneurysm originating from the branch of the extracranial vertebral artery is uncommon. Most of them were finally diagnosed due to the evidence of infratentorial or spinal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Herein, we report an extremely rare case of a ruptured spinal artery aneurysm which predominantly presented with supratentorial SAH. A 68-year-old woman was initially revealed cranial computed tomographic angiographically negative SAH with a Hunt-Hess grade of 3, while the digital subtraction angiography confirmed an isolated radiculomedullary aneurysm arising from the medial ascending branch of V2 segment at C2 level. The patient underwent surgery in a hybrid operating room. She was originally attempted with coil embolization, but successful clipping of the aneurysm was achieved through unilateral laminectomy at last. Regrettably, the current case suffered a poor clinical outcome due to the complications caused by progressive cerebral vasospasm. In summary, angiogram is of great value for this rare kind of aneurysmal definitive diagnosis. A hybrid operating room may be a feasible choice for the ruptured spinal artery aneurysm.