Internal carotid artery aneurysm with life-threatening hemorrhages in a pediatric patient: endovascular treatment options.

PURPOSE: To describe the management of a pediatric patient with recurrent, life-threatening nasopharyngeal hemorrhages due to a pseudoaneurysm of the internal carotid artery (ICA), most likely caused by deep neck infection following peritonsillar abscess.

CASE REPORT: An 11-year-old boy presented with lymphadenopathy of the neck, torticollis, and difficulty swallowing that had persisted for some weeks. After sneezing, the patient suffered massive recurrent nasopharyngeal hemorrhages leading to anemia. Computed tomography identified a 2 x 2-cm hematoma in the left parapharyngeal space; angiography revealed a saccular aneurysm (14.1 x 8.2 mm) of the extracranial ICA adjacent to the skull base, without ongoing hemorrhage. A bare Wallstent was initially implanted, but total exclusion was achieved only after secondary placement of a Symbiot covered stent within the bare stent.

CONCLUSIONS

This case demonstrates the utility of an endovascular approach to an extracranial ICA pseudoaneurysm in a pediatric patient.