Direct vertebral artery access for the endovascular treatment of basilar artery aneurysms.

The femoral approach has been considered the preferred technique for the endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms. Occasionally, aneurysms are not amenable to the standard femoral approach. We describe four cases of basilar artery aneurysm that were treated by the direct vertebral artery access of V1 at the cervical region. The direct vertebral artery access technique can provide an alternative route in selected cases for the treatment of basilar artery aneurysms.