Background: Distal anterior cerebral artery (DACA) aneurysms are uncommon. Most authors have reported technical difficulties during surgery for these aneurysms, and a variety of surgical approaches have been advocated.
Methods: Over a period of 5 years (1999-2003), 67 patients with DACA aneurysms were operated. Twenty-eight of these were operated on through the bifrontal basal anterior interhemispheric approach. Of the 28 patients, 68% were in poor clinical grade (Hunt and Hess grade III-V) and 89.3% had a Fisher grade III and IV on computed tomography scan. A surgical trajectory about 2 to 3 cm superior to the anterior cranial fossa floor led directly to the aneurysm. Proximal control was achieved before aneurysm dissection and parallel clipping.
Results: Good outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale V and IV) was seen in 57.19 of the patients, 14.3% had a poor outcome, and 28.6% died. The cause of death in most patients was found to be a poor clinical grade, postoperative infarct, or presence of multiple aneurysms.
Conclusions: The advantages of the bifrontal basal anterior interhemispheric approach were the following: (a) It provided the shortest and a direct trajectory to the aneurysm. (b) Proximal control of the parent A(2) vessels could be easily achieved. (c) Release of cerebrospinal fluid from basal cisterns could be done, if necessary. (d) There was a minimal distortion of or traction over the aneurysm.