Superior orbital rim approach for anterior communicating artery aneurysms: a surgical series of 27 patients.

There are debatable claims in the optimal approach for clipping of the anterior communicating artery (AcomA) aneurysm. The authors invented the superior orbital rim approach (SORA) as an alternative and minimally invasive approach for the treatment of AcomA aneurysm. The authors reviewed retrospectively all the medical records of 27 patients of subarachnoid hemorrhage due to ruptured AcomA aneurysm. who were admitted to Kosin University Gospel Hospital for last 2 yr. Fourteen women (51.9%) and 13 men (48.1%) were from 29 to 79 yr in age. The mean aneurysm size was 6.2 mm ranging from 4 to 12 mm. A favorable Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) of 4 or 5 was achieved in 92.6%, a GOS score of 3 in 3.7%, and 1 death (GOS 1) occurred in 3.7% of the patients. During the follow-up between 4 and 28 months (mean, 17.5 months) after the surgery, the prognosis of the patients and the cosmetic results were favorable compared with conventional approach. We became to believe that it was an alternative, effective and minimally invasive approach to the surgical treatment of AcomA aneurysm.