Reconstructive endovascular treatment of ruptured vertebral artery dissection involving the posterior inferior cerebellar artery.

Abstract

Two cases with ruptured vertebral artery (VA) dissection involving the origin of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) are presented. Endovascular proximal occlusion of the dissected segment proximal to the PICA origin was performed, leaving the PICA patent in the acute stage. Stent placement from the PICA to the VA through the contralateral VA and coil embolization were added to the residual dissection in the chronic stage. Rebleedings were not observed. This is the first report of a staged, combined strategy for the treatment of a ruptured PICA involving VA dissection, which enabled preservation of the PICA without bypass surgery.