Basilar Heart-Shaped Aneurysm: Case Illustration

Abstract

A 56-year-old female hospitalized in an
emergency department with a acute decreased
level of consciousness, after a sudden and
severe intensity headache. The initial head CT
shows a Fisher IV subarachnoid hemorrhage.
The cerebral angiography demonstrated a
heart-shaped saccular aneurysm originating
from the basilar artery (Figure 1). We opted
for endovascular treatment with aneurysm
embolization, which was then coiled
uneventfully (Figure 2). Unfortunately, the
patient died in the 15th postoperative day due
to infectious complications.
The presentation of heart-shaped cerebral
aneurysms is rarely reported in the medical
literature. According to our literature review,
there are only 2 reported cases. Vajkoczy et
al published in the New England Journal
of Medicine a case of 49-year-old woman
underwent a diagnostic workup for recurrent
headaches. The cerebral angiography
demonstrated a heart-shaped saccular
aneurysm originating from ophthalmic
segment of carotid artery, which was
successfully clipped without complications [1].