Expanded endonasal approach for the clipping of a ruptured basilar aneurysm and feeding artery to a cerebellar arteriovenous malformation

While endovascular techniques play a significant and expanding role in the management of basilar trunk aneurysms, open surgical clipping remains necessary in select cases. Expanded endonasal transclival approaches offer the advantage of direct access and visualization of the midline vertebrobasilar system, benefits ideally suited to a basilar trunk aneurysm. A 59-year old woman with subarachnoid hemorrhage was found to have a ruptured basilar trunk aneurysm associated with a feeding vessel to a small cerebellar arteriovenous malformation (AVM). An expanded endoscopic endonasal transclival approach was used to successfully clip the basilar trunk aneurysm and feeding AVM vessel. The patient was subsequently discharged home without any neurological deficits. Transclival clipping of basilar trunk aneurysms is technically feasible and plays an important role in management when other strategies fail. The technical benefits of this approach include proximal and distal control of the basilar artery and improved visualization of the brainstem and perforators. Endoscopic transclival approaches should be considered in the management of complex basilar trunk aneurysms.