• Yasushi Ogasawara, Hiroshi Kashimura, Kenta Aso, and Hiroaki Saura.
• Department of Neurosurgery, Iwate Prefectural Chubu Hospital, Kitakami, Iwate, Japan.
• J Neurosci Rural Pract. 2017 Oct 1; 8 (4): 654-656.

AbstractAlthough the anatomy of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) is highly variable, a solitary PICA supplying both hemispheres of the cerebellum is rare. A 76-year-old woman presented with severe headache and subsequent loss of consciousness and was admitted to our hospital. Initial computed tomography showed subarachnoid hemorrhage. Three-dimensional digital subtraction angiography revealed a saccular aneurysm arising from the right vertebral artery (VA)-PICA bifurcation. The PICA branching from the right VA was enlarged, tortuous, and crossed the midline to supply both cerebellar hemispheres. This right PICA was interpreted as a bihemispheric PICA. Recognizing this variant preoperatively could help prevent complications of surgery. Careful follow-up studies are necessary in cases with bihemispheric PICA to monitor for the development of aneurysm at the junction between the bihemispheric PICA and the VA or the distal portion of the bihemispheric PICA.

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