Artist’s rendition of saccular aneurysms of the vertebrobasilar system. Aneurysms of the more superior portion include (A) the basilar apex and (B) the superior cerebellar artery (SCA). Aneurysms of the pre-pontine mid-portion of the basilar artery include those of (C) anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) and (D) those associated with basilar artery non-fusion. Aneurysms of more proximal portions of the vertebrobasilar system include those of (E) posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) and (F) the anterior spinal artery (ASA). Inset depicts a basilar artery fusiform aneurysm (printed with permission ©2020 Glia Media; Artist: Tonya Hines)
Vertebrobasilar Aneurysms
Aneurysms of the vertebrobasilar system remain among the most challenging subsets of aneurysms to treat. Since Charles Drake's pioneering work in the 1960s, advances in microsurgical techniques have improved outcomes in the open surgical management of these aneurysms. In parallel, the field of endovascular neurosurgery has provided several safe and effective treatment options.
The authors wanted an illustration to summarize the various aneurysm locations and projections that affect decision making for open surgical versus endovascular treatment. Their work was published in the Neurosurgical Review 2021 DOI: 10.1007/s10143-020-01460-7
Client: Andrew Grande and Anthony Larson, University of Minnesota Department of Neurosurgery
Illustrator: Tonya Hines, CMI
