Traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the cavernous carotid: a lethal complication of craniofacial trauma

Omar Ahmed; Sara Mahmood; Youssef Aladham; Moustafa Mohamed Abdelnaby

doi:10.1093/jscr/rjaa500

Traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the cavernous carotid: a lethal complication of craniofacial trauma

J Surg Case Rep. 2020 Dec 26;2020(12):rjaa500. doi: 10.1093/jscr/rjaa500. eCollection 2020 Dec.

Authors

Omar Ahmed¹, Sara Mahmood², Youssef Aladham³, Moustafa Mohamed Abdelnaby⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otolaryngology, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, Kent, UK.
² Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK.
³ Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, Derby, UK.
⁴ Department of Otolaryngology, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.

Abstract

Pseudoaneurysm of the cavernous carotid artery is a rare, yet life-threatening complication of craniofacial trauma. It may well present itself with delayed massive epistaxis up to several months after the initial insult. Early recognition and prompt treatment are the key in management and a high index of clinical suspicion is always required. In this article, we report a patient with a penetrating head injury who developed delayed epistaxis along with unilateral abducent and partial oculomotor palsy. Urgent diagnostic carotid angiography was undertaken, followed by endovascular coiling that resulted in no recurrence for a year of follow-up.

Keywords: cavernous carotid; pseudoaneurysm; traumatic epistaxis.

Publication types

Case Reports