Marfan's syndrome and multiple extracranial aneurysms

Dissecting aneurysms of the extracranial cervical arteries in Marfan's synd rome are most frequently caused by the extension of aortic dissection. Spon taneous and isolated aneurysms limited to the major extracranial cervical a rteries have also been reported in Marfan's syndrome, although very rarely. In these cases, the aneurysms are usually asymptomatic or may present as a pulsatile mass. Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) or strokes, associated w ith isolated extracranial aneurysms, have not been mentioned in Marfan's sy ndrome. We report a patient with Marfan's syndrome presenting with TIAs in whom we detected a saccular aneurysm of the vertebral artery as well as bil ateral fusiform aneurysms of the internal carotid arteries. Copyright (C) 2 001 S. Karger AG, Basel.