Carotid Artery Pseudoaneurysm after Endovascular Stent Placement: Diagnosis and Follow-up Duplex Ultrasonography

Abstract

Purpose Carotid artery pseudoaneurysm development after endarterectomy, albeit rare, has been attributed to patch deterioration. We present an unusual case of pseudoaneurysm development 1 year after stent placement for recurrent carotid artery stenosis. Case Report A 64-year-old man had transient hemiparesis develop 1 week after carotid artery endarterectomy (CEA) with patch angioplasty for monocular transient ischemic attack. Carotid angiography reviewed an intimal flap at the distal endarterectomy site, which was successfully treated with carotid stent placement. During a duplex scan 1 year later, he was found to have a symptomatic 2.5-cm pseudoaneurysm at the level of stented carotid bifurcation. This was successfully treated with a combined open and endovascular approach, which consisted of stent-graft placement by means of an open carotid exposure. Completion angiogram showed successful stent-graft exclusion of the pseudoaneurysm. A follow-up duplex scan 6 months later demonstrated diminution of pseudoaneurysm size without endoleak. Conclusion This report highlights the importance of duplex ultrasound surveillance in patients with CEA or carotid stenting, because it can accurately detect recurrent stenosis or carotid pseudoaneurysm. Moreover, a combined open and endovascular therapy using stent graft successfully treated the carotid pseudoaneurysm in our patient.