Aberrant internal carotid artery in the middle ear.
Aberrant internal carotid artery in the middle ear is a rare anomaly. Myringotomy in a patient with this anomaly caused violent hemorrhage, requiring immediate packing and eventual ligation of the artery. The anomaly may represent the artery bulging through a dehiscent bony canal, or it may be due to traction on the developing carotid by a persistent stapedial artery. Various middle ear symptoms have been reported in earlier cases. Diagnosis is by angiography, and therapy is surgical.
D000328:Adult; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008026:Ligation; D011859:Radiography