POLYCYSTIC KIDNEY DISEASE AND INTRACRANIAL ANEURYSM

Abstract

Congenital anomalies are often multiple and tend to occur in certain combinations. Polycystic kidney disease is frequently found with anomalies involving other organs of the body, such as cysts of the liver or pancreas. An association reported a number of times, but not given much clinical emphasis, is that of polycystic kidney disease and aneurysm of the circle of Willis. The reports of this combination have appeared mainly as necropsy findings,¹ the patients dying either of subarachnoid hemorrhage from rupture of the aneurysm or of renal failure from polycystic kidney disease. Recognition of the combination prior to death has been unusual, but, with present roentgenologic techniques, the diagnosis can be established and definitive treatment instituted after the appearance of symptoms. During the past two years, three patients have been seen at the Cleveland Clinic with congenital aneurysm of a cerebral artery and polycystic kidney disease. All three were relatively