Spontaneous Rupture of Multiple Occipital Artery Aneurysms in a Patient With Neurofibromatosis Type 1

Ruptured Occipital Artery Aneurysm Following Craniotomy in a Patient with Neurofibromatosis Type 1: Case Report

Objective

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is associated with vascular fragility, which results in aneurysms, arteriovenous fistulas, and dissections. Here, we describe a case of endovascular treatment of a ruptured occipital artery aneurysm that occurred after a craniotomy in a patient with NF1.

Case Presentation

A 46-year-old man with a history of NF1 underwent a right lateral suboccipital craniotomy to remove a cavernous hemangioma in the right middle cerebellar peduncle. Severe bleeding occurred in the occipital artery during the craniotomy. Due to vessel fragility, coagulation and ligation were not possible, and pressure hemostasis was achieved using cellulose oxide and fibrin glue. On postoperative day 12, the patient developed a sudden swelling on the right side of the neck as well as tracheal compression. Contrast-enhanced CT revealed a ruptured aneurysm in the right occipital artery. Transarterial embolization was performed under general anesthesia the same day. Right external carotid angiography showed an 18-mm-diameter fusiform aneurysm in the occipital artery. The aneurysm ruptured inferiorly to form a large pseudoaneurysm with significant jet flow. An arteriovenous fistula was also observed in a nearby vein. A microcatheter was inserted into the fusiform aneurysm under proximal blood flow control, and embolization was performed using coils and N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate.

Conclusion

Compared to surgical repair of ruptured occipital artery aneurysms, endovascular treatment appears to be safe, effective, minimally invasive, and rapid. Ruptured occipital artery aneurysms in NF1 patients can cause neck swelling and airway compression and should be recognized as a potentially lethal condition.

Hypoglossal Nerve Neuropathies-Analysis of Causes and Anatomical Background

The hypoglossal nerve is the last, and often neglected, cranial nerve. It is mainly responsible for motor innervation of the tongue and therefore the process of chewing and articulation. However, tumors, aneurysms, dissections, trauma, and various iatrogenic factors such as complications after surgeries, radiotherapy, or airway management can result in dysfunction. Correct differential diagnosis and suitable treatment require a thorough knowledge of the anatomical background of the region. This review presents the broad spectrum of hypoglossal neuropathies, paying particular attention to these with a compressive background. As many of these etiologies are not common and can be easily overlooked without prior preparation, it is important to have a comprehensive understanding of the special relations and characteristic traits of these medical conditions, as well as the most common concomitant disorders and morphological traits, influencing the clinical image. Due to the diverse etiology of hypoglossal neuropathies, specialists from many different medical branches might expect to encounter patients presenting such symptoms.

Rapid airway stenosis due to ruptured occipital artery in a patient with neurofibromatosis type I

Background

Neurofibromatosis type I is rarely associated with vascular abnormalities. Here, we report a case of rapid airway stenosis caused by a ruptured occipital artery that was treated with surgical airway management.

Case Presentation

A 40-year-old woman, with no medical history, presented with a chief complaint of a sudden neck pain on the left side. She had a prominent mass in the outer left side of the neck. After arrival at the emergency room, the patient complained of severe dyspnea and experienced a rapid drop in oxygen saturation. Supplemental ventilation was ineffective, and tracheal intubation was attempted; however, laryngeal expansion could not be observed because of the enlarged cervical mass. Therefore, to manage the surgical airway, a cricothyrotomy was first carried out, which resulted in an immediate increase in oxygen saturation. Two percutaneous embolizations and one surgical procedure were carried out, and the patient was discharged without any complications.

Conclusion

For a sudden onset cervical mass, airway management should be undertaken, keeping in mind the possibility of worsening rapid airway narrowing due to bleeding.

A rare case of ruptured intracranial aneurysm arising from the retro-mastoid branch of the occipital artery

Background:

Aneurysms of the occipital artery (OA) are rare, with few cases published in the literature. The pathophysiology is unknown, and the presentation is variable. We present a case of a ruptured intracranial aneurysm arising from a branch of the OA.

Case Description:

A 36-year-old male with a history of ankylosing spondylitis presented with altered mental status after an assaulted. On examination, he was intubated, with a Glasgow coma scale of 9, and imaging of the head and neck revealed a subdural hematoma of the posterior fossa and the cervical spine. The patient underwent suboccipital craniectomy and C1-5 laminectomy with the evacuation of the subdural hematoma. Postoperative cerebral angiography showed an intracranial aneurysm arising from the retromastoid branch of the OA on the left side. Furthermore, the parent vessel of the aneurysm supplied the left lower half of the cerebellar hemisphere. The aneurysm and the parent vessel were embolized using platinum coils. The patient tolerated the procedure well, and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed a minor left-sided cerebellar infarct, which was asymptomatic. The patient was discharged home with a modified Rankin scale of 2. There were no outpatient follow-up data available because the patient lost to follow-up.

Conclusion:

Intracranial OA aneurysms are extremely rare with no clear consensus concerning the management of these aneurysms. They can be treated using endovascular and or open surgical techniques depending on the aneurysm characteristics, patient condition, rupture status, and others.

True occipital artery aneurysm: A surgical case report and literature review

True occipital artery aneurysms are exceptionally rare. To our knowledge only five reports of true occipital artery aneurysm have been previously described.^1–5 We present a rare case of a 70-year-old gentleman with a true occipital artery aneurysm associated with alopecia areata. This case report adds to the current lack of literature on true occipital artery aneurysms and summarises their presentation, investigation and management.

True aneurysm of the proximal occipital artery: Case report

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Aneurysms of the proximal occipital artery may cause symptoms by compressing adjacent structures.

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Resection may require intubation by the nose.

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Resection if usually followed by regeression of symptoms.

Introduction

True aneurysms of the proximal occipital artery are rare, may cause neurological symptoms due to compression of the hypoglossal nerve and their resection may be technically demanding.

Presentation of case

The case of an aneurysm of the proximal occipital artery causing discomfort and tongue deviation by compression on the hypoglossal nerve is reported. Postoperative course after resection was followed by complete regression of symptoms.

Conclusion

Surgical resection, as standard treatment of aneurysms of the occipital artery, with the eventual technical adjunct of intubation by the nose is effective in durably relieving symptoms and preventing aneurysm-related complication.