A Rare and Dangerous Combination of COVID-19, Lemierre Syndrome, and Carotid Pseudoaneurysm: A Case Report.

Lemierre syndrome is a rare complication of oropharyngeal infection that causes septic thrombophlebitis in the internal jugular vein. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, this condition has been dangerously overlooked and poses an even greater threat when complicated by vascular pathologies. A case is presented where the patient required emergency endovascular exclusion of a right internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm due to Lemierre syndrome. The treatment included stent graft placement and drainage of a neck abscess, along with appropriate antibiotic treatment during hospitalization. Recognizing this diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The complexity of the disease necessitates extensive multidisciplinary collaboration for effective treatment.

Surgical Management and Clinical Outcomes of Extracranial Carotid Artery Pseudoaneurysms.

INTRODUCTION: Extracranial carotid artery (CA) pseudoaneurysms are uncommon and can cause embolic stroke, compressive symptoms, or (rarely) can rupture. It is of paramount importance to treat this entity to avoid life-threatening complications. In this study, the authors described a cohort of patients that required open surgical repair. METHODS: This article reported the authors' experience with open surgical repair of extracranial CA pseudoaneurysms by presenting a retrospective review of data at their institution from 2016 to 2022. RESULTS: Of 8 patients that underwent open repair, 6 were male and 8 were female. The most common etiology was traumatic (penetrating trauma in 4 patients, iatrogenic injury in 2, and blunt trauma in 1) and 1 was infective. All patients presented with a neck mass, and 5 had compressive symptoms. Primary repair was performed in 4 patients, interposition graft using an autologous vein in 2, and patch repair in 2. None of the patients experienced perioperative mortality or stroke; nor did they develop any complications over a median follow-up period of 30 months. CONCLUSION: This report demonstrated that large-size extracranial pseudoaneurysms, whether traumatic or infective etiology, can be safely repaired using an open surgical approach.

Ruptured internal carotid artery aneurysm following surgery for chronic sinusitis: delayed presentation: a case report.

Rupture of internal carotid artery aneurysm has high mortality rate and needs high index of suspicion for immediate management. Massive epistaxis after rupture of aneurysms in the petrous part of internal carotid artery is extremely rare. In this paper, we report the first case of delayed rupture of a petrous carotid aneurysm which developed because of chronic allergic sinusitis.

Ruptured carotid artery pseudoaneurysm following excision of a carotid body tumor: a rare complication managed successfully with surgery and literature review / Pseudoaneurisma de artéria carótida rompida após excisão de tumor do corpo carotídeo: uma complicação rara tratada com sucesso com cirurgia e revisão da literatura

Abstract A 47-year-old male presented with a right-sided Shamblin type 2 carotid body tumor measuring 5*5 cm. After preoperative embolization, a sub adventitial resection of the tumor was done. He was discharged after postoperative day 5 and presented again to emergency 10 days later with a bleeding pseudoaneurysm at the surgical site causing dysphagia and dyspnea. He was taken for emergency exploration of the surgical wound and, intraoperatively, it was observed that the proximal ends of the internal carotid artery and external carotid artery close to the bifurcation were forming a pseudoaneurysm, 1 cm distal to the common carotid artery. The external carotid artery was ligated and a common carotid to internal carotid artery bypass was done with a reversed saphenous vein graft. He recovered well in the postoperative period and was discharged on day 7. Pseudoaneurysm formation following carotid body tumor resection is extremely rare and has only been reported thrice in the literature.

Resumo Um homem de 47 anos apresentou tumor carotídeo Shamblin tipo 2 no lado direito, medindo 5 x 5 cm. Após embolização pré-operatória, foi realizada ressecção subadventicial do tumor. O paciente teve alta no quinto dia pós-operatório e voltou à emergência 10 dias depois, com pseudoaneurisma hemorrágico no sítio operatório causando disfagia e dispneia. Foi levado para exploração emergencial da ferida cirúrgica, e, no intraoperatório, 1 cm distalmente à artéria carótida comum, as extremidades proximais da artéria carótida interna e da artéria carótida externa próximas à bifurcação formavam um pseudoaneurisma. A artéria carótida externa foi ligada, e foi realizada uma ponte de safena de carótida comum para a artéria carótida interna com a veia safena invertida. O paciente se recuperou bem no pós-operatório e recebeu alta no sétimo dia. A formação de pseudoaneurisma após ressecção de tumor do corpo carotídeo é extremamente rara, tendo sido relatada apenas três vezes na literatura.

Surgical Treatment of Extracranial Internal Carotid Artery Pseudoaneurysm in an Infant Due to Falling from Height: An Unusual Case.

Pseudoaneurysms of the internal carotid artery (ICA) caused by non-penetrating trauma are extremely rare. Patients with ICA pseudoaneurysms may present with cerebral ischemia, cervical masses, neck swelling, hematoma, rupture, pain, or cranial nerve dysfunction. We present a case of a left ICA pseudoaneurysm that developed in a 7-month-old infant because of a fall from height. The patient developed left-sided neck swelling that caused severe airway obstruction and respiratory arrest. The patient was urgently intubated and underwent emergency surgery under general anesthesia to repair the defect in the left ICA. Primary repair was performed to treat the pseudoaneurysms. The pseudoaneurysm sac was not removed because it was complicated and had extended into the respiratory tract. The patient was extubated on the 2nd day and discharged on the 7th day without complications. Follow-up of the patient after two weeks was unremarkable. Extracranial ICA pseudoaneurysms should be identified in patients presenting with blunt trauma. Emergency surgery should be considered for patients with progressive pseudoaneurysms.

Internal Carotid Artery Pseudoaneurysm After Transsphenoidal Pituitary Tumor Resection: A Case Report.

Here, we present a case report on internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm (ICAP) which highlights a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of transsphenoidal pituitary surgery. A 32-year-old male underwent resection of a pituitary tumor and developed a large cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak during surgery, which was reconstructed with a fat graft and nasoseptal flap. Postoperatively, he was recovering well and discharged without complications; however, eight days after surgery he returned with massive epistaxis and hematemesis. This was initially managed with endoscopic exploration, nasal packing, and transfusion of blood products. Imaging revealed a pseudoaneurysm on the right internal carotid artery. The patient was started on aspirin and clopidogrel, and a flow diverter stent was placed without complications. Our case emphasizes the importance of prompt recognition and management of vascular injuries such as an internal carotid pseudoaneurysm after transsphenoidal pituitary surgery to prevent catastrophic outcomes.

Management strategy of a carotid-esophageal fistula with a right common carotid artery pseudoaneurysm due to chicken bone ingestion: A case report and literature review.

Common carotid artery (CCA) pseudoaneurysm is a rare clinical disorder. CCA pseudoaneurysm that occurs with a carotid-esophageal fistula and causes massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding is especially uncommon but can be life-threatening. Accurate diagnosis and prompt managements are essential to save lives. Here, we report a case of a 58-year-old female who presented with dysphagia and throat pain after accidental ingestion of a chicken bone. The patient presented with active upper gastrointestinal bleeding which quickly developed into hemorrhage shock. Imaging studies confirmed a diagnosis of right CCA pseudoaneurysm and carotid-esophageal fistula. The patient had a satisfactory recovery after a right CCA balloon occlusion, right CCA pseudoaneurysm excision, and right CCA and esophageal repairs. We present and discuss this case here to remind physicians to rule out rare causes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. A multidisciplinary approach is commonly required to achieve satisfactory outcomes in these cases.

Analysis of a delayed diagnosis of carotid artery aneurysm presenting as a parapharyngeal space infection.

It is very rare for extracranial carotid artery dissection to present as a carotid pseudoaneurysm. A delayed diagnosis and delayed treatment will lead to rupture of carotid pseudoaneurysm and massive hemorrhage and death. In this paper, we reviewed the progress of the disease in one patient and reviewed the relevant literature reports to understand the characteristics of the disease. The patient had two consultations within the otolaryngology department. The patient later showed signs of infection in the parapharyngeal space and then died of an aneurysmal rupture and massive hemorrhage.

Endovascular treatment of a ruptured pseudoaneurysm of the internal carotid artery in a patient with nasopharyngeal cancer: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Radiation therapy (RT) for nasopharyngeal cancer can cause several complications. In rare cases, an internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm can occur, which can be fatal. We report the experience of a nasopharyngeal cancer patient who underwent radiation therapy and subsequently developed a fatal pseudoaneurysm of the petrous internal carotid artery. CASE SUMMARY: A 39-year-old man was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer 2 years ago (American Joint Committee on Cancer Stage T3N2M0) and received concurrent chemoradiation therapy. He subsequently relapsed and received chemotherapy. One week after the 4th cycle of chemotherapy, he was admitted to the emergency room of our hospital because of massive epistaxis accompanied by a headache. A pseudoaneurysm of the petrous internal carotid artery was confirmed by digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Stent-assisted endovascular coil embolization was performed and complete occlusion was achieved. No pseudoaneurysm was observed on DSA after coil embolization; however, intermittent epistaxis was maintained even after coil embolization. After seven days, a diagnostic laryngoscopy was performed. Massive bleeding occurred after aspiration of the blood clot during the laryngoscopy and the patient died of hypovolemic shock. In this case, epistaxis may have been a sign of pseudoaneurysm; therefore, treatment such as embolization should be performed promptly, and careful management should be undertaken after treatment. CONCLUSION: This case highlights a rare, serious complication of RT in nasopharyngeal cancer and how it should be recognized and treated.

Use of covered stent (CGuard) in the treatment of post-traumatic internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm.

Post-traumatic internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm (ICA PSA) is a rare occurrence with high mortality rates, and with the advent of endovascular therapy, its treatment has shown drastic improvement in clinical as well as radiological outcomes. Here we are describing our experience with the CGuard embolic protection system (InspireMD, Tel Aviv, Israel) for the treatment of post-traumatic left ICA PSA in a 49-year-old male. New improved biomechanics and navigability have proven it to be a safe and efficient treatment modality for ICA PSA. However, a multicentric large-scale randomized trial is recommended to support this modality.

Post-traumatic Pseudoaneurysm of the Internal Carotid Artery with Intractable Epistaxis: A Case Report.

Epistaxis is a common otorhinolaryngology emergency. There are several treatment modalities for epistaxis, but bleeding from the internal carotid artery necessitates a particular treatment technique. We report a case of a 22-years old man who presented to us recurrent episodes of epistaxis and blurry vision in the right eye for one month. The patient had undergone maxillo-facial surgery following a road traffic accident one year back. Bleeding episodes were occasionally severe with blood loss of up to 800 to 1000ml. These episodes were managed conservatively with posterior nasal packing and frequent blood transfusions. A computed tomography-angiography revealed a pseudoaneurysm arising from the cavernous segment of the right internal carotid artery which was managed successfully by embolization of the aneurysm sac with coils. Despite the rarity of internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm in individuals with a history of trauma, doctors must be aware of the possibility. Timely identification and treatment of a pseudoaneurysm can save a person's life.

Case report: Endovascular intervention of internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm secondary to nasopharyngeal carcinoma radiotherapy.

Background: Internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm (PSA) is a serious complication after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and once it ruptures and bleeds, it will seriously affect the patient's survival and prognosis. However, because of its relatively low incidence, many medical institutions lack experience in managing this type of emergency. Case information: In this case report, we described two cases suffered ruptured internal carotid artery PSA after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma, including their history, diagnosis, and treatment. Both cases underwent emergency endovascular interventions, one of which with long-term healing after embolization of the PSA, and the other one with re-bleeding after embolization and was eventually stopped by embolization of the parent artery. Ultimately, both cases received timely and effective treatment. Conclusion: This case report detailed the diagnosis and treatment course of internal carotid artery PSA after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma, which enhanced the understanding of this emergency, and provided valuable information and experience for the treatment strategy of similar PSA on the internal carotid artery.

Retinal emboli after cervicopetrous junction internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm stenting.

PURPOSE: To describe acute and chronic retinal ischemic changes following an internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm stenting procedure, and to review current evidence for risk factors and management of post-procedural retinal ischemic events. OBSERVATION: A 50-year-old man presented with a 3-month history of pulsatile tinnitus, headache, and intermittent blurry vision. A CT angiogram of head and neck showed bilateral cervicopetrous internal carotid artery (ICA) pseudoaneurysms. The patient underwent successful repair with angioplasty and stenting of the flow-limiting high-grade (>95%) stenosis of his left high cervical ICA. On post-operative day 1, the patient reported monocular vision loss with a large central scotoma. He was found to have a central macular area of retinal whitening and multiple areas of perivascular retinal whitening on exam, concerning for retinal artery occlusions secondary to peri-procedural emboli. Dual antiplatelet therapy was started and a stroke evaluation was performed. Two months later, his visual acuity in the affected eye was counting fingers and his left eye fundus examination was notable for multiple areas of scattered hemorrhages, microaneurysms, and retinal exudates in the distribution of prior retinal ischemia. OCT imaging revealed atrophic changes in the left macula. Subsequently, the patient completed stage-2 repair of the left ICA pseudoaneurysm followed by uncomplicated repair of the right ICA. Four months later, his left eye visual acuity and retinal findings remained stable. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: Post-procedure retinal emboli and ischemia are important, vision threatening possible ocular complications for patients undergoing carotid vascular and endovascular procedures.

Covered Stent Treatment of an Extracranial Internal Carotid Artery Pseudoaneurysm in a Three Year Old Child with 12 Years of Follow Up: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) pseudoaneurysms in children, although uncommon, are life threatening. Covered stents are a good alternative treatment, as they avoid the risk of open surgery and preserve the ICA. Until recently, long term outcomes were unknown. REPORT: A three year old boy was hospitalised with an enlarged swelling on the left side of his neck and severe respiratory distress. He had been treated a month prior for a left deep cervical abscess, with bacteriological culture positive for Staphylococcus aureus. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) revealed a large pseudoaneurysm originating from the left ICA, approximately 2 cm above the bifurcation. A balloon expanded covered stent (Jostent Graftmaster; Abbott Vascular, Redwood City, CA, USA) was deployed via a left femoral approach, after selective angiography, to seal the carotid rupture without incident. Control angiography revealed immediate exclusion of the pseudoaneurysm and patent ICA. The bacteriological culture of the residual haematoma was negative. The child was discharged with full recovery and without neurological sequelae, under platelet anti-aggregation. He has been followed up and has remained asymptomatic for 12 years, with CTA confirmed ICA patency, without deformation or evidence of significant restenosis. DISCUSSION: This is the first report of the long term outcome of a covered stent in a child treated at three years of age, with a 12 year follow up. The good performance of the covered stent in this case reinforces its adoption as a first line option in the treatment of extracranial ICA pseudoaneurysms in children.

A rare vascular complication of Eagle syndrome highlight by CTA with neck flexion.

We report a case of a 53-year-old woman admitted to the emergency department with left hemiplegia, tinnitus and palpitations. A cerebral and cervical computed tomography angiography revealed an acute large ischemic stroke on the right Sylvian territory, which was related to a dissection of the right internal carotid. Moreover, a left internal carotid pseudo-aneurysm was observed. These two injuries were presumably imputable to a bilateral Eagle Syndrome. Indeed, the temporal styloid processes were measured at 31mm on both sides. To support our hypothesis of a stylocarotid impingement, a cervical CTA with hyperflexion (45°) of the neck was performed. It clearly revealed the bilateral impingement between the styloid processes and internal carotids. It seems important to know that Eagle syndrome may lead to disabling diseases or even death as well as an ischemic stroke. The vascular impingement with bilateral vascular injuries was never described. To our knowledge, our "neck flexion cervical CTA" to reveal the stylocarotid impingement has never been described before. This approach could lead to a new investigation technique, to better identify this underestimated pathology in the medical doctors community.

Umbilical artery catheter, aortic dissection, carotid cannulation, and pseudoaneurysm in a neonate: A tale of propagating pathology.

Arterial dissections are uncommon in neonates. Complications include thrombosis, bleeding, dissection, aneurysm and pseudoaneurysm. We report an unusual case of multisite pathology (dissection and pseudoaneurysm) following common vascular interventions. A term neonate with antenatal diagnosis of congenital heart block secondary to maternal lupus deteriorated clinically at 5 days of life. He was found to have an abdominal aortic thrombus secondary to abdominal aortic dissection, following umbilical arterial catheter placement. Attempted percutaneous treatment was complicated by dissection of the left common carotid artery and formation of a large pseudoaneurysm. Neonatal lupus is associated with weakened vessel wall which may be vulnerable to injury from line placement and endovascular interventions. Various options are available to manage arterial dissection, thrombus, and pseudoaneurysm, but consequences of these options need to be carefully weighed to minimize further complications.

Superficial Femoral Artery Interposition Graft for Repair of a Ruptured Mycotic Common Carotid Artery Pseudoaneurysm: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: Indications for reconstruction of the common carotid artery (CCA) include trauma, iatrogenic injury, neoplastic growth (such as invasive neck carcinomas), postoperative infection, and cervical carotid aneurysm. Although various techniques and conduits have been described, the clinical scenario may preclude the use of the most commonly used grafts. We describe a case using a superficial femoral artery (SFA) interposition graft to repair the CCA and review the available literature, highlighting the feasibility of this technique for carotid artery reconstruction. CASE DESCRIPTION: A patient aged 51 years presented with a ruptured mycotic CCA pseudoaneurysm that developed in the setting of a pharyngeal-carotid fistula. Because of the presence of a pharyngeal-carotid fistula and active infection within the vessel wall, endovascular treatment of the pseudoaneurysm was not feasible, and open surgical correction was required to repair the fistulous connection. Furthermore, owing to the extensive soft tissue infection, the use of a synthetic or venous autograft conduit for repair of the artery was contraindicated. Therefore, we harvested a segment of the SFA and used it as an interposition graft to reconstruct the diseased CCA, achieving an excellent anatomic and clinical result. CONCLUSIONS: This case highlights the feasibility of using an SFA interposition graft for short-segment CCA reconstruction, which can provide significant utility in the setting of a hostile operative field due to prior infection or radiation.

An internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm with neck hematoma: A rare cause of a life-threatening neck mass mimicking an abscess.

A neck mass has a broad and complex differential diagnosis, generally divided into neoplastic, congenital and inflammatory categories. An internal carotid artery hemorrhage with pseudoaneurysm formation is a very rare entity that may resemble other common conditions in the differential diagnosis. Large, expanding or symptomatic pseudoaneurysm is critical to efficiently diagnose and manage, due to risk of life-threatening hemorrhage. We present a case of an adult male patient with clinical and laboratory signs of severe neck cellulitis and a large gradually increasing neck mass, primarily suggestive of an abscess. Neck CT and MRI imaging revealed the presence of a disruption of the internal carotid artery resulting in a large hematoma and formation of pseudoaneurysm. A multidisciplinary team of interventional radiologists and ENT surgeons successfully treated the patient by endovascular placement of stents and subsequent surgical drainage. Awareness of such a rare, life-threatening condition and efficient multidisciplinary teamwork are essential for patient management.

Endovascular management of iatrogenic cervical internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm in a 9-year-old child: Case report and literature review.

Extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) pseudoaneurysms are uncommon in the pediatric population and are usually secondary to direct trauma to the vessel. Treatment options include surgery (ligation), anticoagulation therapy and endovascular treatment. Endovascular covered stents have shown good results in adult populations, resulting in occlusion of the aneurysm and preservation of the artery without significant complications. However, there have been only limited reports in the literature reporting endovascular carotid stent placement in the pediatric population. We report a case of a 9-year-old boy patient, who developed a cervical ICA pseudoaneurysm after a parapharyngeal tumor resection. He was successfully treated by primary endovascular covered stent placement. During a follow-up of 6 months the patient has been asymptomatic, without any adverse event. Additionally, a literature review is done.

Vessel-preserving stent-assisted coil embolization of an extracranial internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm that developed after tonsillectomy in a pediatric patient: initial case report.

Although there have been reports of carotid artery pseudoaneurysm formation after adenoidectomy and/or tonsillectomy secondary to iatrogenic injury, there are no case reports of successful endovascular reconstruction of the injured artery in the pediatric population. In most pediatric cases, the internal carotid artery (ICA) is sacrificed. The authors report on a 6-year-old girl who presented with odynophagia, left-sided Horner's syndrome, hematemesis, and severe anemia 6 months after a tonsillectomy. On examination she was found to have a pulsatile mass along the left posterior lateral oropharynx, and imaging demonstrated a dissection of the extracranial left ICA and an associated pseudoaneurysm. The lesion was managed endovascularly with stent-assisted coil embolization and ICA reconstruction. The child had a somewhat complicated postoperative course, requiring additional coil embolization for treatment of a minor recurrence of the pseudoaneurysm at 5 months after the initial treatment and then presenting with extrusion of a portion of the coil mass into the oropharyngeal cavity a year later. She underwent surgical removal of the extruded coils and repair of the defect and has since been free of symptoms or signs of recurrence. The authors conclude that this strategy definitively protected the patient against an oral exsanguination or aspiration event secondary to aneurysm rupture and reduced her risk of stroke by preserving vessel patency and caliber. Moreover, they note that covered stent reconstruction surrenders endovascular access and cannot immediately provide these benefits.