Abstract
Isolated dissections of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) are rare. Thus, no large series of cases have been reported in the literature. Due to limited knowledge regarding the natural history of these lesions and the lack of high-quality evidence supporting various treatment options, management is controversial and practice parameters are ill defined. In order to offer a comprehensive reference for the diagnosis and management of isolated PICA dissections, the authors reviewed the National Library of Medicine from 1966 to October 2001. Twenty-seven patients averaging 43.6 years of age and including 14 males and 13 females were reported. Subarachnoid hemorrhage occurred in 20 patients, and two died. Dissections were located in the proximal PICA in 22 patients and were three times more common on the left side (left:right=3:1). Six patients were managed conservatively, and four with endovascular techniques. Seventeen had open surgery: five underwent resection, two went through trapping, and two had proximal clipping. Wrapping with muscle was performed in two patients, encasement with Sundt clips in two, and four had occipital artery (OA)-PICA bypass surgery. A meticulous analysis of reported cases with regard to clinical and pathological features, management strategies, and outcomes is presented.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Amarenco P, Roullet E, Hommel M, Chaine P, Marteau R (1990) Infarction in the territory of the medial branch of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 53:731–735
Ausman JI, Diaz FG, Mullan S, Gehring R, Sadasivan B, Dujovny M (1990) Posterior inferior to posterior inferior cerebellar artery anastomosis combined with trapping for vertebral artery aneurysm. Case report. J Neurosurg 73:462–465
Berger MS, Wilson CB (1984) Intracranial dissecting aneurysms of the posterior circulation. J Neurosurg 61:882–894
Berkovic SF, Spokes RL, Anderson RM, Bladin PF (1983) Basilar artery dissection. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 46:126–129
Beyerl BD, Heros RC (1986) Multiple peripheral aneurysms of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. Neurosurgery 19:285–289
Carter LP, Spetzler RF (1994) Neurovascular surgery. McGraw-Hill, New York, pp 642–643
Dinichert A, Rufenacht DA, De Tribolet N (2000) Dissecting aneurysms of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery: report of four cases and review of the literature. J Clin Neurosci 7:515–520
Dolenc V (1982) End-to-end suture of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery after the excision of a large aneurysm: case report. Neurosurgery 11:690–693
Durward QJ (1995) Treatment of vertebral artery dissecting aneurysm by aneurysm trapping and posterior inferior cerebellar artery reimplantation. Case report. J Neurosurg 82:137–139
Farrell MA, Gilbert JJ, Kaufmann JC (1985) Fatal intracranial arterial dissection: clinical pathological correlation. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 48:111–121
Feely MP (1979) Cerebellar infarction. Neurosurgery 4:7–11
Forbus WD (1929) Über den Ursprung gewisser Aneurysmen der basalen Hirnarterien. Zentralbl Allg Pathol Anat 44:243–245
Fransen P, De Tribolet N (1994) Dissecting aneurysms of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. Br J Neurosurg 8:381–386
Friedman AH, Drake CG (1984) Subarachnoid hemorrhage from intracranial dissecting aneurysm. J Neurosurg 60:325–334
Halbach VV, Higashida RT, Dowd CF, Fraser KW, Smith TP, Teitelbaum GP, Wilson CB, Hieshima GB (1993) Endovascular treatment of vertebral artery dissections and pseudoaneurysms. J Neurosurg 79:183–191
Hamada J, Nagahiro S, Mimata C, Kaku T, Ushio Y (1996) Reconstruction of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery in the treatment of giant aneurysms. Report of two cases. J Neurosurg 85:496–499
Hashimoto T, Kanki T, Abe S, Nakazawa K, Nakamura N (1992) Dissecting aneurysm of the vertebro-basilar system: surgical treatment in cases with brainstem ischemia. Jpn J Stroke 14:355–360
Hudgins RJ, Day AL, Quisling RG, Rhoton AL Jr, Sypert GW, Garcia-Bengochea F (1983) Aneurysms of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. A clinical and anatomical analysis. J Neurosurg 58:381–387
Hunter J (1837) An account of Mr. Hunter's method of performing the operation for the cure of the popliteal aneurism. In: Palmer JF (ed) The works of John Hunter, vol 3. Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green, and Longman, London, pp 594–612
Ikeda A, Yamaguchi T, Yamaguchi T, Yamamoto I, Sato O (1991) Excision and end-to-end anastomosis of a fusiform aneurysm of the distal posterior inferior cerebellar artery associated with ischemia. Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 31:351–355
Iwama T, Andoh T, Sakai N, Iwata T, Hirata T, Yamada H (1990) Dissecting and fusiform aneurysms of vertebro-basilar systems. MR imaging. Neuroradiology 32:272–279
Jafar JJ, Kamiryo T, Chiles BW, Nelson PK (1998) A dissecting aneurysm of the posteroinferior cerebellar artery. Neurosurgery 43:353–356
Kamiyama H, Nomura M, Abe H, Abumiya T, Saito H, Yamauchi T, Mitsumori K, Yoshimoto T, Takigawa S, Ito T, Houkin K, Isu T, Kawamoto S, Ishikawa T, Yasui N (1990) Diagnosis for the intracranial dissecting aneurysms. Surg Cereb Stroke 19:50–56
Kanou Y, Arita K, Kurisu K, Ikawa F, Eguchi K, Monden S, Watanabe K (2000) Dissecting aneurysm of the peripheral posterior inferior cerebellar artery. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 142:1151–1156
Kawaguchi S, Sakaki T, Kamada K, Iwanaga H, Takehashi K, Tsujimoto M (1993) Dissecting aneurysm of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery – case report. Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 33:634–637
Kawaguchi S, Sakaki T, Tsunoda S, Morimoto T, Hoshida T, Kawai S, Iwanaga H, Nikaido Y (1994) Management of dissecting aneurysms of the posterior circulation. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 131:26–31
Kitanaka C, Morimoto T, Sasaki T, Takakura K (1992) Rebleeding from vertebral artery dissection after proximal clipping. Case report. J Neurosurg 77:466–468
Kitanaka C, Sasaki T, Eguchi T, Teraoka A, Nakane M, Hoya K (1994) Intracranial vertebral artery dissections: clinical, radiological features, and surgical considerations. Neurosurgery 34:620–627
Kitanaka C, Tanaka J, Kuwahara M, Teraoka A, Sasaki T, Takakura K (1994) Nonsurgical treatment of unruptured intracranial vertebral artery dissection with serial follow-up angiography. J Neurosurg 80:667–674
Komiya H, Saeki N, Iwadate Y, Sunami K, Yamaura A (1988) Posterior inferior cerebellar artery dissecting aneurysm presenting with Wallenberg's syndrome. Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 28:404–408
Kopera M, Majchrzak H, Ladzinski P, Stech W, Maliszewski M (1992) Dissecting aneurysm of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. Neurol Neurochir Pol 26:897–901
Lee SY, Sekhar LN (1996) Treatment of aneurysms by excision or trapping with arterial reimplantation or interpositional grafting. Report of three cases. J Neurosurg 85:178–185
Lefkowitz MA, Teitelbaum GP, Giannotta SL (1996) Endovascular treatment of a dissecting posteroinferior cerebellar artery aneurysm: case report. Neurosurgery 39:1036–1039
Lister JR, Rhoton AL Jr, Matsushima T, Peace DA (1982) Microsurgical anatomy of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. Neurosurgery 10:170–199
Madsen JR, Heros RC (1988) Giant peripheral aneurysm of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery treated with excision and end-to-end anastomosis. Surg Neurol 30:140–143
Mizushima H, Sasaki K, Kunii N, Nishino T, Jinbo H, Abe T, Shimazu M, Matsumoto K (1994) Dissecting aneurysm in the proximal region of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery presenting as Wallenberg's syndrome. Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 34:307–310
Mizutani T, Aruga T, Kirino T, Miki Y, Saito I, Tsuchida T (1995) Recurrent subarachnoid hemorrhage from untreated ruptured vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysms. Neurosurgery 36:905–913
Nagahiro S, Goto S, Yoshioka S, Ushio Y (1993) Dissecting aneurysm of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery: case report. Neurosurgery 33:739–742
Nakagawa K, Touho H, Morisako T, Osaka Y, Tatsuzawa K, Nakae H, Owada K, Matsuda K, Karasawa J (2000) Long-term follow-up study of unruptured vertebral artery dissection: clinical outcomes and serial angiographic findings. J Neurosurg 93:19–25
Nakatomi H, Nagata K, Kawamoto S (1999) Persistent patent pseudolumen of ruptured dissecting aneurysm involving the posterior inferior cerebellar artery after proximal clipping. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 141:533–536
Nishino A, Sakurai Y, Niizuma H, Satoh H, Kayama T (1991) Dissecting aneurysm of distal posterior inferior cerebellar artery. No To Shinkei 43:381–386
Piske RL, Darwich R, Campos CMS, Fonseca NC, Oliveira E, Souza A (1998) Spontaneous resolution of a ruptured dissecting PICA aneurysm. Intervent Neurorad 4:287–292
Pozzati E, Padovani R, Fabrizi A, Sabattini L, Gaist G (1991) Benign arterial dissections of the posterior circulation. J Neurosurg 75:69–72
Price DB, Miller LJ (1994) MR angiography of peripheral posterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysms. J Comput Assist Tomogr 18:539–541
Quint DJ, Spickler EM (1990) Magnetic resonance demonstration of vertebral artery dissection. Report of two cases. J Neurosurg 72:964–967
Renfro MB, Day AL, Rhoton AL (1997) The extracranial and intracranial vessels: normal anatomy and variations. In: Batjer HH (ed) Cerebrovascular disease. Lippincott-Raven, Philadelphia, pp 3–22
Saito A, Ezura M, Takahashi A, Yoshimoto T (2000) An arterial dissection of the distal anterior inferior cerebellar artery treated by endovascular therapy. No Shinkei Geka 28:269–274
Sekino H, Nakamura N, Kato Y, Basugi N (1981) Dissecting aneurysms of the vertebro-basilar system: clinical and angiographic observations. No Shinkei Geka 9:125–133
Shinoda S, Murata H, Waga S, Kojima T (1998) Bilateral spontaneous dissection of the posteroinferior cerebellar arteries: case report. Neurosurgery 43:357–359
Stehbens WE (1996) The pathogenesis of intracranial aneurysms. In: Tindall GT, Cooper PRI, Barrow DL (eds) The practice of neurosurgery. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, pp 1941–1952
Suzukawa K, Amoh M, Nakamura Y, Yasuma Y, Kurokawa S (2000) Spontaneous occlusion of a dissecting aneurysm in the shape of "two dumplings on a skewer" at right posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA): report of a case and neuroradiological findings. No Shinkei Geka 28:561–567
Takahashi I, Takamura H, Gotoh S, Sasaki H, Makino K, Suzuki N, Nishihara I, Ishikawa T, Andoh M (1992) Dissecting aneurysm of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. No Shinkei Geka 20:277–281
Takikawa S, Kamiyama H, Nomura M, Abe H, Saitoh H (1991) Vertebral dissecting aneurysm treated with trapping and bilateral posterior inferior cerebellar artery side-to side anastomosis: case report. No Shinkei Geka 19:571–576
Tamano Y, Ujiie H, Hori T (2000) Postoperative hemorrhage due to normal pressure hyperperfusion breakthrough after a trapping of VA-PICA dissecting aneurysm. No Shinkei Geka 28:257–262
Teitelbaum GP, Dowd CF, Larsen DW, McDougall CG, Halbach VV, Higashida RT, Hieshima GB (1995) Endovascular management of biopsy-related posterior inferior cerebellar artery pseudoaneurysm. Surg Neurol 43:357–359
Tikkakoski T, Leinonen S, Siniluoto T, Koivukangas J (1997) Isolated dissecting aneurysm of the left posterior inferior cerebellar artery: endovascular treatment with a Guglielmi detachable coil. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 18:936–938
Ueki K, Teraoka A, Yoshida S, Hori T (1987) Dissecting aneurysm of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery – a case report. No Shinkei Geka 15:1215–1219
Victor M, Ropper AH, Adams RD (2001) Cerebrovascular diseases. In: Victor M, Ropper AH (eds) Adams and Victor's Principles of Neurology, 7th edn. McGraw-Hill, New York, pp 821–924
Yamaura A, Isobe K, Karasudani H, Tanaka M, Komiya H (1991) Dissecting aneurysms of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. Neurosurgery 28:894–898
Yamaura A, Watanabe Y, Saeki N (1990) Dissecting aneurysms of the intracranial vertebral artery. J Neurosurg 72:183–188
Yamaura A (1988) Diagnosis and treatment of vertebral aneurysms. J Neurosurg 69:345–349
Yamaura I, Tani E, Yokota M, Nakano A, Fukami M, Kaba K, Matsumoto T (1999) Endovascular treatment of ruptured dissecting aneurysms aimed at occlusion of the dissected site by using Guglielmi detachable coils. J Neurosurg 90:853–856
Yasui T, Komiyama M, Nishikawa M, Nakajima H (2000) Subarachnoid hemorrhage from vertebral artery dissecting aneurysms involving the origin of the posteroinferior cerebellar artery: report of two cases and review of the literature. Neurosurgery 46:196–201
Yonas H, Agamanolis D, Takaoka Y, White RJ (1977) Dissecting intracranial aneurysms. Surg Neurol 8:407–415
Yoshimoto Y, Wakai S (1997) Unruptured intracranial vertebral artery dissection. Clinical course and serial radiographic imagings. Stroke 28:370–374
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tawk, R.G., Bendok, B.R., Qureshi, A.I. et al. Isolated dissections and dissecting aneurysms of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery: topic and literature review. Neurosurg Rev 26, 180–187 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10143-002-0231-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10143-002-0231-z