Coarctation of the Aorta Complicated with Intracranial Aneurysm: A Case Report and Literature Review

BACKGROUND: Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) complicated with rupture and hemorrhage of intracranial aneurysms is not commonly seen in clinical practice. Here we report a middle-aged female patient who presented with acute severe headache. CASE DESCRIPTION: Head computed tomography (CT) demonstrated an extensive subarachnoid hemorrhage. Digital subtraction angiography demonstrated coarctation and occlusion of the proximal thoracic aorta and occlusion of the terminal aortic arch. Aortic-intracranial CT angiography (CTA) confirmed a CoA complicated with an anterior communicating artery aneurysm. Clipping of the anterior communicating artery aneurysm was performed via a left lateral orbital approach. Postoperative intracranial CTA showed complete clipping of the aneurysm. The patient was discharged postoperatively with good recovery. CONCLUSIONS: The pathophysiological mechanism of CoA complicated with intracranial aneurysm remains unclear, but attention should be given to the relationship between the 2 entities in clinical practice, and effective treatment should be provided according to specific conditions.