title: Treatment of posttraumatic internal carotid arterial pseudoaneurysms with endovascular stents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The sequelae of blunt injury to the carotid arteries are unusual, but pseudoaneurysms causing subsequent strokes are devastating. The utility of treatment of these pseudoaneurysms was examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients at a Level I trauma center with previously documented traumatic risk factors were assessed for blunt injury to the carotid arteries and, when a pseudoaneurysm was present, a self-expanding metallic stent was placed across the lesion and the patient placed on anticoagulation. Follow-up arteriograms were obtained in 2 months and every 6 months thereafter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fourteen patients (7 men, 7 women) with an average age of 27 years, an Injury Severity Score of 38, had formed pseudoaneurysms in 16 extracranial internal carotid arteries. These were stented with metallic endoprostheses. No strokes occurred after the placement of the stents. Mean follow-up period has been 2.5 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of metallic endoprostheses is an effective method to treat this potentially devastating injury. However, longer follow-up and more patients studied are needed to further examine this promising treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Denver Health Medical Center, Colorado, USA. DColdwell@Radiology.ab.umd.edu
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Coldwell
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Brega
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Biffl
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Offner
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Franciose
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Burch
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D000792:Angiography; D020212:Carotid Artery Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*