title: Traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the intracavernous ICA presenting with massive epistaxis: imaging diagnosis and endovascular treatment.
abstract: Traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the intracavernous internal carotid artery (ICA) is a very rare cause of epistaxis but is a life-threatening clinical situation when left untreated. The authors have experienced four cases of traumatic pseudoaneurysm involving the intracavernous ICA. Delayed massive epistaxes developed 1 to 8 months after trauma and initial transient epistaxis in all four patients. Three of the cases were successfully managed by the detachable balloon occlusion (DBO) of the ICA along with the aneurysm openings. In one case, a large pseudoaneurysm destroying a large area of the central skull base with peripheral blood clot was demonstrated on computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and angiography; this patient died due to massive epistaxis before the trial of DBO. Imaging findings of pseudoaneurysms involving the intracavernous ICA in the four cases are described, and the role of endovascular treatment is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Korea.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Y G
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D020212:Carotid Artery Injuries; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002404:Catheterization; D004844:Epistaxis / Q000209:etiology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014056:Tomography, X-Ray