Fungal aneurism of the right posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA)

Stefano Tambuzzi; Michele Boracchi; Francesca Maciocco; Cristina Tonello; Guendalina Gentile; Riccardo Zoja

doi:10.1016/j.mmcr.2019.09.004

Fungal aneurism of the right posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA)

Med Mycol Case Rep. 2019 Sep 25:26:25-27. doi: 10.1016/j.mmcr.2019.09.004. eCollection 2019 Dec.

Authors

Stefano Tambuzzi¹, Michele Boracchi¹, Francesca Maciocco², Cristina Tonello³, Guendalina Gentile¹, Riccardo Zoja¹

Affiliations

¹ Laboratorio di Istopatologia Forense e Microbiologia Medico Legale, Sezione di Medicina Legale e delle Assicurazioni, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli, 37, 20133, Milano, Italy.
² Ospedale S. Carlo Borromeo, Servizio di Immunoematologia e Medicina Trasfusionale (SIMT), Via Pio II, n°3, 20153, Milano, Italy.
³ Pathology Unit, Luigi Sacco Hospital, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milano, Italy.

Abstract

In this case-report, the Authors show the case of a sudden death occurred in a 38-year-old woman submitted to surgical excision of a right acoustic neurinoma. At the autopsy, was detected a cerebral hemorrhage with multifocal localization by a ruptured rare fungal aneurysm of the Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Arthery (PICA). The PCR analysis, carried out on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue, identified the Aspergillus Penicillioides as the involved pathogen. We discuss the main points of infectious aneurysms, being a potential neurosurgical complication.

Keywords: Aspergillus; Autopsy; Forensic pathology; Fungal aneurysm; Sudden death.

Publication types

Case Reports