Pseudoaneurysm of the internal carotid artery: treatment with a covered stent.

Abstract

Dissection of the cervical segment of the internal carotid artery may occur spontaneously or after trauma. We report the management of a 53-year-old right-handed man with progressive dizziness and neck pain 6 weeks after a motor vehicle collision. The clinical and neurologic examinations were normal. The CT scan led to the diagnosis of a pseudoaneurysm of the right internal carotid artery near the skull base. We successfully treated this post-traumatic lesion with a covered stent. The patient underwent the endovascular procedure under general anesthesia and transcranial Doppler monitoring. No neurologic event was observed. Obliteration of the pseudoaneurysm with preservation of the carotid artery was achieved. The patient was discharged from the hospital 72 hr later with no complications. Clinical and imaging follow-up at 6 months was unremarkable.