Carotid Artery Entrapment by the Hyoid Bone-A Rare Cause of Recurrent Strokes in a Young Patient.

The search for etiology of stroke in a young patient may present a diagnostic challenge. In rare cases, chronic trauma to the carotid artery may be the cause of cerebral thromboembolic events. The hyoid bone lies in close proximity to the carotid artery bifurcation, and anatomic variants have been implicated in carotid compression, stenosis, dissection, and pseudoaneurysm. We report a case of recurrent strokes in a 32-year-old woman due to an elongated hyoid bone causing thrombus formation in her right internal carotid artery (ICA), resulting in recurrent embolic strokes confirmed on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Computed tomography angiography of the neck and head demonstrated the right hyoid bone was located between the ICA and external carotid artery (ECA), just above the carotid bifurcation, with residual nonocclusive thrombus in the right ICA. Carotid duplex ultrasonography confirmed that with the neck in neutral position, the hyoid was located between the ICA and ECA; however, with neck rotation, the hyoid slipped across the ICA and out of the bifurcation. There was no evidence of carotid stenosis. After an initial course of anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy, resection of the greater cornu of the hyoid bone with release of the right ICA was performed. One year postoperatively, the patient had complete return of neurologic function and had no further neurologic events. Hyoid bone entrapment of the carotid artery is a rare etiology of thromboembolic stroke caused by repetitive local trauma. The diagnosis can be confirmed by carotid duplex with provocative maneuvers. Partial hyoid resection is a safe and effective treatment to relieve recurrent symptoms. Hyoid bone entrapment may be an important and under-recognized cause of stroke in young adults.

Pseudoaneurisma ventricular izquierdo / Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm

El pseudoaneurisma cardíaco es una entidad poco frecuente, que se produce cuando existe una rotura incompleta de la pared del corazón y el pericardio sella dicha rotura. Se desarrolla una neocavidad comunicada con la cavidad ventricular por un orificio estrecho. El objetivo del presente trabajo es reportar un caso de pseudoaneurisma ventricular izquierdo, entidad muy poco frecuente. Se presenta un paciente masculino de 69 años, con antecedentes de infarto del miocardio tres años previos al ingreso, que acude al cuerpo de guardia por dolor torácico y disnea. Se le realiza radiografía de tórax, vista póstero-anterior, donde se observa imagen radiopaca con tendencia nodular que borra el contorno cardiaco izquierdo, se complementa con ecografía transtorácica y tomografía helicoidal computarizada, se visualiza una imagen sacular por adición en la pared lateral del ventrículo izquierdo, con trombo mural en su interior, que comunicaba con este a través de cuello estrecho. Se llegó a la conclusión de que se trataba de un pseudoaneurisma ventricular izquierdo. Esta es una entidad que presenta una alta mortalidad, por lo que es necesario realizar un diagnóstico oportuno, a fin de tomar la conducta adecuada para prevenir las complicaciones(AU)

The cardiac pseudoaneurysm is a rare entity, which occurs when there is an incomplete rupture of the heart wall and the pericardium seals the rupture. A neocavity develops communicating with the ventricular cavity through a narrow orifice. The objective of this study is to report a rare case of left ventricular pseudoaneurysm. We present a 69-year-old male patient with a history of myocardial infarction three years prior to admission. The patient goes to the emergency room for chest pain and dyspnea. He underwent chest X-rays for rear-anterior view showing a radiopaque image with nodular tendency that erases the left cardiac line. Transthoracic ultrasound and computerized helical tomography are used to complement the examination. A saccular image is shown by adding to the lateral wall of the left ventricle with wall thrombus inside, a communicating narrow neck. It was concluded that it was a left ventricular pseudoaneurysm. This is an entity that presents high mortality, so it is necessary to make timely diagnosis, in order to take the appropriate medical behavior for preventing complications(AU)

Onyx-HD 500 Embolization of a Traumatic Internal Carotid Artery Pseudoaneurysm after Transsphenoidal Surgery.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Traumatic intracranial pseudoaneurysms present a challenge for treatment. Traditionally these lesions have required a deconstructive approach consisting of vessel sacrifice since their fragile nature often makes direct microsurgical repair or coil embolization hazardous. As a high-viscosity liquid embolic agent that results in immediate, vessel sparing aneurysm occlusion, Onyx-HD 500 represents a uniquely efficacious tool for this clinical situation. CASE SUMMARY: We report the case of a 56-year-old right-handed gentleman who suffered a vascular injury to the ICA during revision transsphenoidal surgery for a recurrent pituitary macroadenoma. The patient was initially treated with nasal packing, but after recurrent episodes of epistaxis and a CT angiogram demonstrating a large traumatic ICA pseudoaneurysm, the patient was referred for invasive treatment. Given the presumed fragility of the lesion, embolization with Onyx-HD 500 was chosen in order to safely achieve immediate aneurysm occlusion without the need for vessel sacrifice. After an early recurrence due to incomplete initial embolization, the patient went on to complete occlusion without further hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: This case illustrates the utility of a high-viscosity liquid embolic agent in providing immediate protection from rehemorrhage by occluding a large ruptured pseudoaneurysm of the proximal intracranial ICA, while sparing the parent artery.

Endovascular treatment of penetrating traumatic injuries of the extracranial carotid artery.

PURPOSE: To describe the clinical and angiographic results of endovascular therapy for traumatic injuries of the extracranial carotid artery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical and angiographic features of 36 traumatic injuries of the carotid artery during a 12-year period were reviewed. There were 35 male patients (97.2%) and 1 female patient (2.8%) with an average age of 28.8 years (range 13-60 years). Of the 36 lesions of the carotid artery, 29 (80.6%) were the result of gunshot injury, and 7 (19.4%) were secondary to stab wounds. In 24 (66.7%) instances, the injury resulted in a pseudoaneurysm; in 7 (19.4%), in an arteriovenous fistula (AVF); in 4 (11.1%), in a dissection; and in 1 (2.8%), in inactive bleeding. All patients were treated with an endovascular approach using different techniques (balloon occlusion, embolization, or stent deployment). RESULTS: Endovascular therapy resulted in documented lesion occlusion in 34 (94.4%) patients. Two patients declined any follow-up postprocedural imaging; however, they have remained asymptomatic. Clinical improvement was documented in 35 (97.2%) patients, and there was one procedure-related complication with fatal consequences. CONCLUSIONS: In this series, endovascular techniques were an effective method of treatment. It was possible to use different endovascular reconstructive techniques or parent artery occlusion depending on the degree of vessel damage, with resolution of clinical symptoms and avoidance of surgery in most cases.

Closure of carotid artery puncture site with a percutaneous device.

The surgical treatment of traumatic neck injuries in patients with hostile anatomy is associated with higher risk of complications, due to the technical challenge and associated clinical conditions. The use of a percutaneous closure device for removal of a 7.5 Fr sheath, nonintentionally implanted into the carotid artery, is reported. The right common carotid sheath was removed after introducing a 0.035-inch guidewire; the Angioseal 8 Fr device was then introduced over the wire, successfully sealing the puncture site. Duplex scan control showed patency of the carotids, sealing of the puncture, and adequate flow in the jugular vein and carotid arteries. This maneuver allowed the safe placement of a percutaneous arterial device (Angioseal) to close the puncture site.

[Traumatic dissection of extracranial internal carotid artery with middle cerebral artery stroke: imaging diagnosis]. / Disección traumática de la arteria carótida interna extracraneal con infarto en el territorio de la arteria cerebral media. Diagnóstico por imagen.

Cervical carotid artery dissections (CCAD) are common in young adults with a mean age of 44 years and may account for as many as 20% of strokes in patients younger than 30 years. Trauma and primary diseases of the arterial wall such as fibromuscular dysplasia are the main predisposing factors. Some CCAD cases are diagnosed solely on clinical history and physical examination, and even imaging tools such as helical/multi-slice computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sometimes are not sufficient to reach a diagnosis. We describe the case of an 18-year-old male who presented to our emergency department due to loss of consciousness 18 hours after a car accident. Previously he had been in no acute distress, with fluent speech, and able to follow 3-step commands. Helical CT showed a hypodense lesion in the left-middle cerebral artery territory, as well as hyperdensity of the M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery. Cerebral angiography depicted the left carotid artery dissection in the C1 segment. Physicians should consider this entity in "asymptomatic" patients during their first hours after head injury, among patients who later develop focal neurological symptoms and clinical deficits. Clinical suspicion followed by radiological findings allows early neurovascular treatment, trying to save viable brain tissue in the first hours post injury.

Cavernous carotid artery pseudo-aneurysm treated by stenting in acromegalic patient.

We report on a case of endovascular management of pseudoaneurysm of the cavernous segment of the internal carotid artery with covered stent reconstruction. A 36 years-old woman with a history of previous transsphenoidal approach for pituitary macroadenoma and false aneurysma formation was studied in a protocol that included balloon test occlusion and cerebral blood flow evaluation. An endovascular covered stent deployment in the area of the carotid laceration was performed with isolation of the aneurysm from the circulation and maintenance of the carotid flow. Helical angio-CT and cerebral digital subtraction angiography showed the carotid preservation without stenosis in the stented area. In conclusion, endovascular stent reconstruction for post-transsphenoidal carotid artery laceration and false aneurysm is demonstrated as useful technical adjunct in the management strategy and with the potential for carotid sacrifice morbidity avoidance.

Penetrating neck injuries: helical CT angiography for initial evaluation.

PURPOSE: To report an experience with helical computed tomographic (CT) angiography as the initial procedure to rule out arterial lesions caused by penetrating neck injuries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During 27 months, 175 patients were referred for helical CT angiography of the neck because of clinical suspicion of arterial injuries. The protocol included a 100-mL bolus of nonionic contrast material injected at 4.5 mL/sec, with 11-second scanning delay, 3-mm collimation, and pitch of 1.3-2.0. CT images were interpreted prospectively by the emergency radiologist, and two radiologists retrospectively interpreted studies with consensus. Outcome was determined with examination of patients and their charts. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were calculated. RESULTS: Studies in two patients were considered inadequate for diagnosis; these patients were referred for conventional arteriography and had normal findings. In 27 patients (15.6%), arterial lesions were detected. One patient had two arterial injuries. Lesions demonstrated with helical CT angiography were arterial occlusion (n = 14), pseudoaneurysm (n = 8), pseudoaneurysm and arteriovenous fistulae (n = 4), and partial thrombosis (n = 2). The remaining 146 patients had normal arteries. On the basis of these findings, patients were treated with surgery (n = 21), endovascular intervention (n = 7), and observation alone (n = 146). CONCLUSION: Results indicate that helical CT angiography can be used as the initial method for evaluation in patients with possible arterial injuries of the neck.

Diagnosis of arterial injuries caused by penetrating trauma to the neck: comparison of helical CT angiography and conventional angiography.

PURPOSE: To determine the sensitivity and specificity of helical computed tomographic (CT) angiography in the diagnosis of carotid and vertebral arterial injuries caused by penetrating neck trauma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective study was conducted during 24 months in 60 patients with penetrating neck trauma who were referred for conventional angiography owing to clinical suspicion of arterial injury. In the patient population, 146 arteries (77 carotid, 69 vertebral) were studied by means of conventional angiography. In all patients, conventional angiography and helical CT angiography were completed within 6 hours. Two radiologists interpreted helical CT angiographic studies by means of consensus. Conventional angiography was the standard of reference for determining the sensitivity and specificity of helical CT angiography. RESULTS: Conventional angiograms showed arterial injuries in 10 (17%) of 60 patients. Conventional angiographic findings were arterial occlusion (n = 4), arteriovenous fistula (n = 2), pseudoaneurysm (n = 3), pseudoaneurysm with arteriovenous fistula (n = 1), and normal arteries (n = 136). Nine of 10 arterial injuries and all normal arteries were depicted adequately at helical CT angiography. Sensitivity of helical CT angiography was 90%, specificity was 100%, positive predictive value was 100%, and negative predictive value was 98%. CONCLUSION: The sensitivity and specificity of helical CT angiography are high for detection of major carotid and vertebral arterial injuries resulting from penetrating trauma.

Carotid artery-sygmoid sinus fistula: a rare complication of gunshot wound on the base of the cranium.

Vascular lesions without clinical manifestation may occur in cranial-facial wounds produced by bullets that course the base of the cranium. This work describes a rare kind of vascular complication in cranial-facial gunshot wound. The authors present the case of a patient, the victim of a cranium-maxillary gunshot wound. Carotid angiography revealed a carotid-sygmoid sinus fistula that filled the sygmoid and transverse sinuses, concomitant to the arterial angiographic phase. A direct communication between the external carotid artery and the sygmoid sinus was disclosed. We are not aware of any other description of this vascular complication in cranial gunshot wound. It is important to recognize this kind of complication in cases of cranial-facial gunshot wound, because new factors harmful to the brain perfusion systems are introduced, in addition to the alterations to venous return and intracranial pressure, caused by the primary trauma. The new non-invasive vascular diagnostic methods are proving useful in filling the gap left by arteriography, which is no longer used in these cases.