• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.287-289
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• 2011

Thalamoperforating artery aneurysms are rarely reported in the literature. We report an extremely rare case of ruptured distal anterior thalamoperforating artery aneurysm which was treated by endovascular obliteration in a patient with occlusion of both the internal carotid arteries (ICAs) : A 72-year-old woman presented with severe headache and loss of consciousness. Initial level of consciousness at the time of admission was drowsy and the Glasgow Coma Scale score was 14. Brain computed tomography (CT) scan was performed which revealed intracerebral hemorrhage in right basal ganglia, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and intraventricular hemorrhage. The location of the aneurysm was identified as within the globus pallidus on CT angiogram. Conventional cerebral angiogram demonstrated occlusion of both the ICAs just distal to the fetal type of posterior communicating artery and the aneurysm was arising from right anterior thalamoperforating artery (ATPA). A microcatheter was navigated into ATPA and the ATPA proximal to aneurysm was embolized with 20% glue. Post-procedural ICA angiogram demonstrated no contrast filling of the aneurysm sac. The patient was discharged without any neurologic deficit. Endovascular treatment of ATPA aneurysm is probably a more feasible and safe treatment modality than surgical clipping because of the deep seated location of aneurysm and the possibility of brain retraction injury during surgical operation.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.350-358
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• 2015

Objective : To evaluate the morphometry of the anterior thalamoperforating arteries (ATPA). Methods : A microanatomical study was performed in 79 specimens from 42 formalin-fixed adult cadaver brains. The origins of the ATPAs were divided into anterior, middle, and posterior segments according to the crowding pattern. The morphometry of the ATPAs, including the premammillary artery (PMA), were examined under a surgical microscope. Results : The anterior and middle segments of the ATPAs arose at mean intervals of $1.75{\pm}1.62$ mm and $5.86{\pm}2.05$ mm from the internal carotid artery (ICA), and the interval between these segments was a mean of $3.17{\pm}1.64$ mm. The posterior segment arose at a mean interval of $2.43{\pm}1.46$ mm from the posterior cerebral artery (PCA), and the interval between the middle and posterior segments was a mean of $3.45{\pm}1.39$ mm. The mean numbers of perforators were $2.66{\pm}1.19$, $3.03{\pm}1.84$, and $1.67{\pm}0.98$ in the anterior, middle, and posterior segments, respectively. The PMA originated from the middle segment in 66% of cases. A perforator-free zone was located >2 mm from the ICA in 30.4% and >2 mm from the PCA in 67.1% of cases. Conclusion : Most perforators arose from the anterior and middle segments, within the anterior two-thirds of the posterior communicating artery (PCoA). The safest perforator-free zone was located closest to the PCA. These anatomical findings may be helpful to verify safety when treating lesions around the PCoA and in the interpeduncular fossa.