Biomaterial Database

Catastrophic subarachnoid hemorrhage resulting from ruptured vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia: case report. 1998

C H Rabb, and S L Barnwell

Division of Neurosurgery, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland 97201-3098, USA.

OBJECTIVE Two patients with vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia sustained massive fatal subarachnoid hemorrhage from rupture of the basilar artery wall. Hemorrhage from this entity is not widely known to occur during its natural history and may be exacerbated by systemic anticoagulation. METHODS Two patients presented with ischemic events of the brain stem, which were attributed to vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia. The diagnosis was made on the basis of computed tomography and subsequent angiography. METHODS Both patients were treated with systemic anticoagulation with heparin and subsequently experienced massive fatal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Autopsy results confirmed the cause of hemorrhage to be frank rupture of the basilar artery wall. CONCLUSIONS Vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia is a formidable structural entity afflicting the posterior circulation, which is generally thought to cause symptoms as a result of either compression of the adjacent brain stem and/or cranial nerves or ischemic events caused by thrombosis and perforator occlusion. Our experience with these two patients indicates that some lesions can hemorrhage, which is a factor that must be weighed when considering treatment alternatives.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D002388	Catastrophic Illness	An acute or prolonged illness usually considered to be life-threatening or with the threat of serious residual disability. Treatment may be radical and is frequently costly.	Catastrophic Illnesses,Illness, Catastrophic,Illnesses, Catastrophic
D002532	Intracranial Aneurysm	Abnormal outpouching in the wall of intracranial blood vessels. Most common are the saccular (berry) aneurysms located at branch points in CIRCLE OF WILLIS at the base of the brain. Vessel rupture results in SUBARACHNOID HEMORRHAGE or INTRACRANIAL HEMORRHAGES. Giant aneurysms (>2.5 cm in diameter) may compress adjacent structures, including the OCULOMOTOR NERVE. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p841)	Aneurysm, Cerebral,Aneurysm, Intracranial,Basilar Artery Aneurysm,Berry Aneurysm,Brain Aneurysm,Cerebral Aneurysm,Giant Intracranial Aneurysm,Mycotic Aneurysm, Intracranial,Aneurysm, Anterior Cerebral Artery,Aneurysm, Anterior Communicating Artery,Aneurysm, Basilar Artery,Aneurysm, Middle Cerebral Artery,Aneurysm, Posterior Cerebral Artery,Aneurysm, Posterior Communicating Artery,Anterior Cerebral Artery Aneurysm,Anterior Communicating Artery Aneurysm,Middle Cerebral Artery Aneurysm,Posterior Cerebral Artery Aneurysm,Posterior Communicating Artery Aneurysm,Aneurysm, Berry,Aneurysm, Brain,Aneurysm, Giant Intracranial,Aneurysm, Intracranial Mycotic,Aneurysms, Basilar Artery,Aneurysms, Berry,Aneurysms, Brain,Aneurysms, Cerebral,Aneurysms, Giant Intracranial,Aneurysms, Intracranial,Aneurysms, Intracranial Mycotic,Artery Aneurysm, Basilar,Artery Aneurysms, Basilar,Basilar Artery Aneurysms,Berry Aneurysms,Brain Aneurysms,Cerebral Aneurysms,Giant Intracranial Aneurysms,Intracranial Aneurysm, Giant,Intracranial Aneurysms,Intracranial Aneurysms, Giant,Intracranial Mycotic Aneurysm,Intracranial Mycotic Aneurysms,Mycotic Aneurysms, Intracranial
D006493	Heparin	A highly acidic mucopolysaccharide formed of equal parts of sulfated D-glucosamine and D-glucuronic acid with sulfaminic bridges. The molecular weight ranges from six to twenty thousand. Heparin occurs in and is obtained from liver, lung, mast cells, etc., of vertebrates. Its function is unknown, but it is used to prevent blood clotting in vivo and vitro, in the form of many different salts.	Heparinic Acid,alpha-Heparin,Heparin Sodium,Liquaemin,Sodium Heparin,Unfractionated Heparin,Heparin, Sodium,Heparin, Unfractionated,alpha Heparin
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D000925	Anticoagulants	Agents that prevent BLOOD CLOTTING.	Anticoagulant Agent,Anticoagulant Drug,Anticoagulant,Anticoagulant Agents,Anticoagulant Drugs,Anticoagulation Agents,Indirect Thrombin Inhibitors,Agent, Anticoagulant,Agents, Anticoagulant,Agents, Anticoagulation,Drug, Anticoagulant,Drugs, Anticoagulant,Inhibitors, Indirect Thrombin,Thrombin Inhibitors, Indirect
D001488	Basilar Artery	The artery formed by the union of the right and left vertebral arteries; it runs from the lower to the upper border of the pons, where it bifurcates into the two posterior cerebral arteries.	Arteries, Basilar,Artery, Basilar,Basilar Arteries
D013345	Subarachnoid Hemorrhage	Bleeding into the intracranial or spinal SUBARACHNOID SPACE, most resulting from INTRACRANIAL ANEURYSM rupture. It can occur after traumatic injuries (SUBARACHNOID HEMORRHAGE, TRAUMATIC). Clinical features include HEADACHE; NAUSEA; VOMITING, nuchal rigidity, variable neurological deficits and reduced mental status.	Hemorrhage, Subarachnoid,Perinatal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage,Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Aneurysmal,Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Spontaneous,SAH (Subarachnoid Hemorrhage),Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Intracranial,Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage,Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhages,Hemorrhage, Aneurysmal Subarachnoid,Hemorrhage, Intracranial Subarachnoid,Hemorrhage, Perinatal Subarachnoid,Hemorrhage, Spontaneous Subarachnoid,Hemorrhages, Aneurysmal Subarachnoid,Hemorrhages, Intracranial Subarachnoid,Hemorrhages, Perinatal Subarachnoid,Hemorrhages, Spontaneous Subarachnoid,Hemorrhages, Subarachnoid,Intracranial Subarachnoid Hemorrhage,Intracranial Subarachnoid Hemorrhages,Perinatal Subarachnoid Hemorrhages,SAHs (Subarachnoid Hemorrhage),Spontaneous Subarachnoid Hemorrhage,Spontaneous Subarachnoid Hemorrhages,Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Perinatal,Subarachnoid Hemorrhages,Subarachnoid Hemorrhages, Aneurysmal,Subarachnoid Hemorrhages, Intracranial,Subarachnoid Hemorrhages, Perinatal,Subarachnoid Hemorrhages, Spontaneous