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Updated: Aug 14, 2026
Minimally Invasive Thumb-sized Pterional Craniotomy for Surgical Clip Ligation of Unruptured Anterior Circulation Aneurysms
Published on: August 11, 2015
[Surgical treatment of anterior circulation aneurysm via pterion keyhole approach]
Wen-feng Feng1, Song-tao Qi, Sheng-ping Huang
1Department of Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
Objective:
To investigate the feasibility of pterion keyhole approach with minimal invasion for treatment of the anterior circulation aneurysm.
Method:
Aneurysm clipping through the pterion keyhole approach was performed in patients with anterior circulation aneurysms, including 9 with posterior communication artery aneurysms, 3 with middle cerebral artery aneurysms and 6 with anterior communication artery aneurysms, who were in stages I to III according to Hunt-Hess scale.
Result:
All the aneurysms were clipped successfully. One patient with a left posterior communication artery aneurysm developed transient sensory aphasia and motor aphasia after surgery due to intraoperative aneurysm rupture. No facial paralysis occurred due to damage of the facial nerve.
Conclusion:
The pterion keyhole approach is a very useful surgical approach for treatment of anterior circulation aneurysms on the basis of cautious determination of indications and careful operation planning.
