Double internal carotid origin of the ophthalmic artery with ruptured aneurysm of the posterior communicating artery. A case report.

SUMMARY: We report a case of double origin of the ophthalmic artery from the carotid siphon. The persistence of the primitive dorsal ophthalmic artery, together with a ventral ophthalmic artery, constitutes the double origin of the ophthalmic artery. Remnant of intraorbital anastomoses formed by these two arteries is demonstrated. This represents a rare configuration of double origin of the arterial blood supply, which is discovered "incidentally" in a patient harboring a ruptured aneurysm of the posterior communicating artery. The embryology of the ophthalmic artery and a possible association between vascular anomaly and arterial aneurysm can be envisaged.