Fatal epistaxis from an aneurysm of the intracranial internal carotid artery.
An instance of fatal epistaxis is reported in a patient with an unsuspected aneurysm of the infraclinoid portion of the internal carotid artery. There was no known history of trauma. The aneurysm was subsequently detected on an old X-ray film. Epistaxis from an aneurysm at this site is nearly always preceded by significant head trauma and is associated with cranial nerve palsies, a syndrome with a high mortality. Epistaxis from rupture of a non-traumatic aneurysm is very rare.
D000328:Adult; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000473:pathology; D004844:Epistaxis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male