Cerebral microaneurysms found incidentally during aneurysm surgery

Not uncommonly, cerebral microaneurysms are found incidentally during surge ry for another previously diagnosed cerebral aneurysm(s). The frequency and angiographic characteristics of such incidental microaneurysms are retrosp ectively summarized. Seventeen patients were identified as harboring incide ntal microaneurysms, comprising 4.9% of the whole series. The middle cerebr al artery (MCA) was the most frequent location (seven cases, 41%) of these microaneurysms. There was a tendency for MCA microaneurysms to be contiguou s to a previously known, larger aneurysm at the same location. Neurosurgeon s as well as interventional neuroradiologists should be aware of the possib le presence of these incidental microaneurysms while treating patients with a cerebral aneurysm(si. Although the actual clinical implications of these incidental microaneurysms have not been elucidated the few additional risk s to patients already surgically exposed for the treatment of another aneur ysm, along with the possible benefit of preventing their rupture and growth , would justify the surgical treatment of these microaneurysms.