ANTERIOR PETROSECTOMY APPROACH TO INFRACLINOIDAL BASILAR ARTERY ANEURYSMS - THE EMERGING ROLE OF THE NEURO-OTOLOGIST IN MULTIDISCIPLINARY MANAGEMENT OF BASILAR ARTERY ANEURYSMS

Aneurysms of the basilar artery are uncommon. Historically, because of the central location of these basilar lesions, surgical access has be en difficult. Moreover, while this disease and its surgical management inherently carry a high risk of patient morbidity, the presence of ne ighboring vital neural and vascular structures introduces additional i ntraoperative challenges. Since 1986 we have employed a transpetrous a pproach for access to selective aneurysms involving the basilar artery . Removal of the petrous apex has provided an expanded deep window thr ough which infraclinoidal basilar artery aneurysms can be controlled. Reported herein are our results utilizing an anterior petrosectomy app roach to the management of infraclinoidal artery aneurysms.