Endovascular Treatment for Ruptured Distal Anterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery Aneurysm

A 73-year-old woman presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by a ruptured left distal anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) aneurysm. Computed tomography showed a thin subarachnoid hemorrhage in the ambient cistern, and digital subtraction angiography revealed an aneurysm arising from the lateral branch of the left AICA, which was separate from the meatal loop. Endovascular treatment was performed to achieve parent artery occlusion using two Guglielmi detachable coils. Postoperatively, the patient had no complications except for left hearing disturbance, and she was independent in daily life. Endovascular parent artery occlusion for distal AICA aneurysm, especially distal from the meatal loop, can avoid sacrificing the internal auditory artery if the lateral branch of the AICA could be occluded more distally from the meatal loop. Sufficient collateral circulation prevents major infarction, and this strategy may be the first-line treatment choice.