A Case of De Novo Basilar Artery Aneurysm Associated with Proximal Stenosis Treated by Coil Embolization

OBJECTIVE: This report highlights a case of a de novo aneurysm assumed to be caused by hemodynamic stress resulting from proximal basilar artery stenosis. CASE PRESENTATION: A 76-year-old woman presented at our hospital with tinnitus. Although MRI did not reveal the cause of her tinnitus, it did uncover an incidental finding of basilar artery stenosis. The patient reported a history of cerebral infarction, diabetes, and hypertension. Six years following the initial discovery of basilar artery stenosis, a saccular aneurysm was detected at the bifurcation of the basilar artery and the right anterior inferior cerebellar artery, corresponding to the distal portion of the basilar artery stenosis. Upon revelation of an enlarged aneurysm on the subsequent two-year follow-up MRI, the patient received coil embolization treatment. No signs of recurrence were observed on the next two-year follow-up MRI. CONCLUSION: It was assumed that proximal basilar artery arteriosclerotic stenosis had caused hemodynamic stress on the distal vessel wall, and that this was responsible for the formation and growth of a de novo aneurysm. This case suggests that cerebrovascular arteriosclerotic changes may be associated with de novo aneurysm formation and therefore requires careful follow-up.