Surgical Management of Ruptured Isolated Aneurysm of Artery of Adamkiewicz: Interesting Report and Overview of Literature

BACKGROUND: Spinal subarachnoid hemorrhage due to rupture of an isolated spinal aneurysm is extremely rare. Patients usually present with symptoms and signs resulting from spinal cord compression. No standard guidelines are available for the treatment of this condition. CASE ILLUSTRATION: In this report we present the case of a 78-year-old Caucasian male who presented with sudden-onset back pain and bilateral lower extremity weakness. Spinal angiogram revealed an isolated aneurysm of the artery of Adamkiewicz. The aneurysm was successfully managed by surgical clipping, and the patient recovered well with rehabilitation. At 46 months' follow-up, the patient was able to ambulate and perform activities of daily living independently. CONCLUSION: Our case is the first description of surgical clipping of a ruptured isolated spinal aneurysm of the artery of Adamkiewicz with a long-term successful outcome and shows that it is a safe and feasible option in carefully selected patients.