Bilateral ophthalmic segment "kissing" aneurysms presenting with subarachnoid hemorrhage--case report

A 31-year-old woman presented with bilateral ophthalmic segment "kissing" aneurysms causing subarachnoid hemorrhage manifesting as sudden severe headache and nausea 3 days before admission. Cerebral angiography demonstrated bilateral internal carotid-superior hypophyseal artery aneurysms, both projecting medially from the medial surface of the internal carotid arteries and appearing to touch each other. Both aneurysms had to be clipped in the same operation, because of uncertainty over which aneurysm had bled. She underwent bilateral frontotemporal craniotomy on the day after admission. Intraoperatively, the two aneurysms were in contact with each other in the suprasellar cistern. Each aneurysm was clipped through the ipsilateral approach without any incident. The patient returned home a month after the operation and has since resumed her previous work. Identification of this rare entity of bilateral ophthalmic segment "kissing" aneurysms is important for surgical planning. Closely situated, bilateral ophthalmic segment aneurysms require a modified surgical strategy for proximal arterial control and the approach to each aneurysm.