Embolization treatment of pseudoaneurysms originating from the external carotid artery.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to review a single-institution contemporary experience with embolization treatment of pseudoaneurysms (PAs) from the external carotid artery (ECA).

METHODS

From December 2000 to June 2014, PAs in the head and neck of 17 patients underwent embolization treatment and were retrospectively evaluated. All were treated with obliteration of the feeding artery or the PA by detachable coils or fibered coils, or both. Clinical follow-up was a mean of 91.9 months (range, 4-173 months) and was performed for all patients. Therapeutic outcomes were determined by evaluating the postprocedural image and clinical outcome of symptoms and signs.

RESULTS

The 17 consecutive patients with head and neck PAs who underwent coils embolization treatment consisted of 14 male patients (82.3%) and three female patients (17.7%). The average age was 37.5 years (range, 16-57 years). The most common symptom and sign was a pulsatile mass, seen in 15 of 17 patients, and other symptoms included pain (three patients) or bleeding (four patients). Digital substraction angiography revealed that the PAs originated from the ECA in 3 patients and others originated from the branches of the ECA, including the superficial temporal artery in 6 patients, internal maxillary artery in 4, superior thyroid artery in 2, and the facial artery and posterior auricular artery in 1. Seventeen coils embolizations for occlusion of the parent artery were performed in 14 patients with a transarterial approach and in three by direct percutaneous puncture. All patients remained symptom free, and no procedure-related complications occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

Embolization treatment of PAs from the ECA is a useful alternative to standard surgical repair. This modality avoids the necessity for surgical exposure of the face and of the neck with its inherent morbidity.