A case of vessel perforation during interventional neuroradiological procedure. Operative findings of the perforated vessel.

A case of vessel perforation by a guide wire during an interventional neuroradiological procedure is reported. The patient was a 59-year-old woman with a left frontal basal arteriovenous malformation (AVM) fed by the left anterior cerebral artery. Transarterial embolization of the AVM was attempted. During the procedure, vessel perforation by the guide wire occurred at the left A1-A2 junction and resulted in subarachnoid hemorrhage, which stopped spontaneously. The patient developed progressive obstructive hydrocephalus, and surgical treatment was performed. The AVM was totally removed after ventricular drainage, and the arterial perforation site was explored. When clot around the left A1-A2 junction was removed, hemorrhage recurred. This hemorrhage was similar to what has been observed when a small perforating artery was avulsed. The hemorrhage site was coagulated under temporary occlusion of both A1 segments. Surgical intervention was probably not necessary for this type of bleeding if it had stopped spontaneously, because the rebleeding from the small pinhole would be unlikely, and the operation was more hazardous than the usual aneurysmal surgery.