Aneurysms of the distal anterior cerebral artery: results in 59 consecutively managed patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to present the clinical and radiological characteristics, surgical management, and outcome in a large series of patients with aneurysms of the distal anterior cerebral artery (DACA) managed in the microsurgical era.

Methods: The records of 1109 patients with anterior circulation aneurysms managed at the authors' institution between 1970 and 1998 were reviewed.

Results: Fifty-nine patients (5.3%) were identified with 67 DACA aneurysms. Seventy-three percent of the patients were women. The mean age of all patients was 47 years. Multiple aneurysms were identified in 51% of all patients, most commonly on the middle cerebral artery. Thirty-six patients had ruptured DACA aneurysms and 23 had unruptured aneurysms. In those with ruptured aneurysms, the admission grade was Grade I in 10 patients (27.8%), Grade II in three patients (8.3%), Grade III in 10 patients (27.8%), Grade IV in seven patients (19.4%), and Grade V in six patients (16.7%). Frontal lobe hematomas occurred in 28% of the patients with ruptured aneurysms and carried a poor prognosis. In those with unruptured aneurysms, 11 were incidental and 12 were identified after a subarachnoid hemorrhage from another aneurysm. The mean diameter was 10 mm in ruptured aneurysms and 5.8 mm in unruptured aneurysms. Fifty-eight patients underwent surgery and one patient was treated with endovascular coiling. Six patients, all with ruptured aneurysms, died. Seventy percent of survivors with ruptured aneurysms had a favorable outcome.

Conclusion: DACA aneurysms possess a number of characteristics that distinguish them from the more common intracranial aneurysms. With modern neurosurgical and endovascular techniques, an acceptable operative morbidity and mortality can be achieved.