POSTEROINFERIOR CEREBELLAR ARTERY ANEURYSMS - SURGICAL RESULTS FOR 38PATIENTS

OBJECTIVE: Posteroinferior cerebellar artery aneurysms have an inciden ce of approximately 0.49%. Reports in the literature are sparse concer ning outcomes in this patient population. We report our results for 38 consecutive patients who were treated during the last 6.5 years. METH ODS: All patients (n = 38) with posteroinferior cerebellar artery aneu rysms that were surgically treated at Zale-Lipshy University Hospital between January 1990 and May 1997 were retrospectively reviewed. Data were collected and analyzed relating to demographics, condition at pre sentation, lesion characteristics, associated medical problems, postsu rgical complications, and outcome. RESULTS: Sixty-six percent of the p atients (n = 25) experienced neurological sequelae, which included sym ptomatic vasospasm, hydrocephalus, dysarthria, paresis, diplopia, atax ia, and facial paralysis. Many, however, showed significant improvemen t during their hospitalization and during the course of the ensuing ye ar. Seventy-four percent of the patients had a Glasgow Outcome Scale s core of 1 or 2 at the time of discharge, 91% at 6 months after surgery , and 89% at 1 year after surgery. CONCLUSION: This review summarizes the presentations and outcomes of 38 consecutive surgical cases during a 6.5-year period and concludes that posteroinferior cerebellar arter y aneurysms are not benign entities. The study does, however, also dem onstrate that patients have significant recuperative potential after t he treatment of these lesions.