Circulatory arrest with profound hypothermia during the surgical treatment of large internal carotid artery aneurysm--case report.

A 43-year-old male presented with a cerebral aneurysm manifesting as right facial paresthesia, without neurological deficit. Angiography revealed a large aneurysm (22 mm) of the left internal carotid artery. Intravascular treatment using placement of a detachable coil was attempted, but the coil did not stay in the aneurysmal cavity and the procedure was abandoned. The patient did not tolerate the transient balloon occlusion test of the left internal carotid artery. Therefore, the aneurysm was clipped through an open craniotomy with profound hypothermia (20 degrees C) with cardiac arrest (24 minutes). The aneurysmal dome was collapsed, allowing easy dissection of the posterior communicating artery. The closed chest method was used during the extracorporeal cardiopulmonary bypass. Postoperative angiography revealed complete neck clipping with preservation of carotid blood flow. The patient recovered well and resumed his employment. Circulatory arrest with hypothermia provides several benefits for the surgical treatment of large and giant aneurysms.