Skip to main content
Log in

Multiple intracranial aneurysms: A high risk condition

  • Published:
Acta Neurochirurgica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

There is still a relative silence in the literature on what policy should be followed in treating multiple aneurysms. The main risks are: bleeding of a formerly asymptomatic aneurysm during the haemodynamic tides of the peri-operative period; aneurysm(s) can be hidden on angiograms and tend to be overlooked easier in case of an already revealed aneursym; misjudgement of the ruptured one as a silent additional aneurysm, therefore left for second stage surgery.

This paper, based on a material of 330 operations for multiple aneurysms, focuses on these problems. It advocates the one stage complete repair of all lesions using both options of bilateral pterional craniotomies or the contralateral approach. But it also describes those silent aneurysms which safely could be clipped later. Hazards and disadvantages concerning the more aggressive surgery proved to be less significant than the natural history of multiple aneurysms represents.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Adams HP, Kassel NF, Torner JCet al. (1981) Early management of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage. J Neurosurg 54: 141–145

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Andrews RJ, Spiegel PK (1979) Intracranial aneurysms. J Neurosurg 51: 27–32

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Berry RG, Alpers B, White JC (1966) The site, structure, frequency of intracranial aneurysms, angiomas, arteriovenous malformalities. Res Publ Ass Res Nerv Ment Dis 41: 40–72

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Bigelow NH (1955) Multiple intracranial arterial aneurysms. Arch Neurol Psychiatry 73: 76–99

    Google Scholar 

  5. Boudouresques G, Meininger V, Hauw JJ (1980) Étude neuropathologique des hémorragies intracraniennes de l'adulte. Rev Neurol 136: 431–443

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Chason JL, Hindman WM (1958) Berry aneursysms of the circle of Willis. Neurology 8: 41–44

    Google Scholar 

  7. Crawford T (1959) Some observations on the pathogenesis and natural history of intracranial aneurysms. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 22: 259–266

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Crompton MR (1966) Mechanism of growth and rupture in cerebral berry aneurysms. Br Med J 1: 1138–1142

    Google Scholar 

  9. Dandy WE (1944) Intracranial Arterial Aneurysms. Ithaca, New York Comstock

    Google Scholar 

  10. Dinning TAR, Falconer MA (1953) Sudden or unexpected death due to ruptured intracranial aneurysm. Lancet 2: 799–801

    Google Scholar 

  11. DuBoulay GH (1965) Some observations on the natural history of intracranial aneurysms. Br J Radiol 38: 721–757

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Fox JL (1983) Intracranial aneurysms. Springer, New York Berlin Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  13. Freytag E (1966) Fatal rupture of intracranial aneurysms. Arch Pathol 81: 418–424

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Gurdjian ES (1958) Discussion. In: Wright IS, Millikan CH (eds) Cerebral Vascular Disease

  15. Hamby WB (1952) Intracranial aneurysms. Thomas, Springfield, Ill

    Google Scholar 

  16. Hamby WB (1959) Multiple intracranial aneurysms. Aspects of treatment. J Neurosurg 16: 558–563

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Heiskanen O, Martilla I (1970) Risk of rupture of a second aneurysm in patients with multiple aneurysms. J Neurosurg 32: 295–299

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Heiskanen O (1981) Risk of bleeding from unruptured aneurysms in cases with multiple intracranial aneurysms. J Neurosurg 55: 524–526

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Housepian Em, Pool JL 1958 A systematic analysis of intracranial aneurysms from the autopsy file of the Presbyterian Hospital 1914 to 1916. J Neuropath Exp Neurol 17: 409–423

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Hudson CH, Raaf J (1968) Timing of angiography and operation in patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysms. J Neurosurg 29: 37–41

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. McCormick WF, Nofzinger JD (1965) Saccular intracranial aneurysms. An autopsy study. J Neurosurg 22: 155–159

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. McKissock W, Richardson A, Walsh L,et al (1964) Multiple intracranial aneurysms. Lancet 1: 623–626

    Google Scholar 

  23. Mount LA, Brisman R (1971) Treatment of multiple intracranial aneurysms. J Neurosurg 35: 728–730

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Moyes PD (1971) Surgical treatment of multiple aneurysms and of incidentally-discovered unruptured aneurysms. J Neurosurg 35: 291–295

    Google Scholar 

  25. Pakarinen S (1967) Incidence, aetiology, and prognosis of primary subarachnoid haemorrhage. Acta Neurol Scand 43 [Suppl 29]: 1–128

    Google Scholar 

  26. Perneczky A, Knosp E, Vorkapic P, Czech Th (1985) Direct surgical approach to infraclinoidal aneurysms. Acta Neurocbir (Wien) 76: 36–44

    Google Scholar 

  27. Pool JL, Poots DG (1965) Aneurysms and arteriovenous anomalies of the Brain. Harper and Row, New York

    Google Scholar 

  28. Poppen JL, Fager CA (1959) Multiple intracranial aneurysms. J Neurosurg 16: 581–589

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Rasmussen P, Busch H, Haase J,et al (1980) Intracranial saccular aneurysms: results of treatment in 851 patients. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 53: 1–17

    Google Scholar 

  30. Richardson JC, Hyland HH (1941) Intracranial aneurysms. Medicine 20: 1–83

    Google Scholar 

  31. Stehbens WE (1963) Histopathology of cerebral aneurysms. Arch Neurol 8: 272–285

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Vajda J, Juhász J, Orosz E, Pásztor E, Tóth Sz, Horváth M (1986) Surgical treatment of multiple intracranial aneurysms. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 82: 14–23

    Google Scholar 

  33. Vajda J, Juhász J Pásztor E, Nyáry I (1988) Contralateral surgery to bilateral and ophthalmic aneurysms. Neurosurgery 22: 662–668

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Walton JN (1956) Subarachnoid haemorrhage. Livingston, Edinburgh

    Google Scholar 

  35. Williams RR, Bahn R, Sayre G (1955) Congenital cerebral aneurysms. Proc Staff Meet Mayo Clin 30: 161–170

    Google Scholar 

  36. Wilson G, Riggs HE, Rupp C (1954) Pathologic anatomy of ruptured cerebral aneurysms. J Neurosurg 11: 128–134

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Yaşargil MG, Smith RD, Gasser JC (1978) Microsurgery of the aneurysms of the internal carotid artery and its branches. Proc Neurol Surg 9: 58–121

    Google Scholar 

  38. Yaşargil MG (1984) Microneurosurgery. Thieme, Stuttgart

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vajda, J. Multiple intracranial aneurysms: A high risk condition. Acta neurochir 118, 59–75 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01400727

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01400727

Keywords

Navigation