Extracranial Carotid Artery Pseudoaneurysm in an Infant

Background: Cervical masses in infants are frequent during routine clinical practice. They are usually congenital or of infectious origin. Vascular abnormalities, such as extra cranial carotid aneurysms, are very uncommon. We report the case of a 10-month-old boy with a giant ruptured pseudoaneurysm of the left internal carotid artery (ICA). Case Report: A 10-month-old child presented to us with rapidly developing left neck swelling for 15 days. Patient had undergone fine-needle aspiration cytology 3 weeks back. Patient had skin breach with oozing of fluid mixed with blood. Computed tomography scan revealed a giant pseudoaneurysm from left ICA with occluded distal ICA. Results: Patient underwent surgical repair of the pseudoaneurysm. Postoperative period was uneventful with no neurological deficits. Conclusion: Carotid artery pseudoaneurysm is an uncommon pathology particularly in the padiatric population. It is mostly due to trauma or iatrogenic. For the treatment, endovascular and surgical options could be considered, each possibility having its precise indications. When possible, surgical management by resection and end-to-end anastomosis would be preferred.

Publication History

Article published online:
11 May 2021