Giant extracranial internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm : A case report

Abstract

Abstract Background : Pseudoaneurysm of the internal carotid artery is a rare and dangerous disease. The normal arterial wall includes three layers: intima, media and adventitia. Pseudoaneurysms are more likely to rupture under the continuous impact of blood due to the lack of three layers of normal structure of the arterial wall. If the pseudoaneurysm is not treated in time when it ruptures, it can easily cause massive hemorrhage and endanger life. Case presentation : We report a rare case of spontaneous extracranial giant pseudoaneurysm of the internal carotid artery in a middle-aged female. A 48-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital due to “sudden severe pain in the right mandible and neck with swelling for more than one day”. After computed tomography angiography (CTA) of the head and neck, she was diagnosed with a pseudoaneurysm of the C1 segment of the right internal carotid artery. Digital Silhouette Angiography (DSA) showed a large tumor-like dilatation in the extracranial segment of the right internal carotid artery. Because the blood vessels cannot be reconstructed, it is recommended to occlude the blood vessels or ligate the right internal carotid artery by traditional surgery. The family gave up surgical treatment and underwent conservative treatment of right common carotid artery Matas training. The patient recovered well after 1 year of follow-up. Conclusion：The possibility of self-healing of internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm is very small, and the possibility of rerupture is high. Therefore, patients with confirmed internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm should be treated surgically as soon as possible to prevent the illness from worsening.