title: Surgical management of extracranial internal carotid aneurysms by cervical approach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Extracranial internal carotid artery aneurysms (EICAA) are rare vascular problems with a great potential for lethal thromboembolic episodes.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1994 to 2004, nine patients with EICAA, seven men and two women, were surgically treated for 10 aneurysms in our department. Aneurysm led to hemispheric symptoms in six cases (two hemispheric strokes and four hemispheric transient ischaemic attacks). The cause was fibrodysplasia in two cases, atherosclerosis in four cases, trauma in two cases and spontaneous dissection in two cases. All aneurysms were treated surgically by the cervical approach using shunting. Extended cervical approach was necessary in four patients with high-lying aneurysms. Nine aneurysms were totally resected and successful revascularization was carried out. Open aneurysmorrhaphy with vein patch angioplasty was carried out in one case of a saccular aneurysm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no perioperative deaths or transient ischaemic attacks or strokes. Four patients developed cranial nerve deficits: one had hoarsness, two had partial facial paralysis (patients with extended cervical approach) and one had tongue deviation. These neurological symptoms were observed in large aneurysms (>4.5 cm) and disappeared within 14 months. No neurological complication was observed in a follow up that ranged from 6 months to 10 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical repair of EICAA, especially with total resection and arterial reconstruction, is strongly recommended. Extended cervical approach has many technical difficulties but can allow treatment of high-lying aneurysms.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Surgery, University of Athens Medical School, Laiko Hospital, Athens, Greece. bakogian@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Chris N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Bakoyiannis
authors.forename: Sotirios E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Georgopoulos
authors.forename: Nikolaos S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Tsekouras
authors.forename: Chris N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Klonaris
authors.forename: Ioanna C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Skrapari
authors.forename: Efstathios L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Papalambros
authors.forename: Elias A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Bastounis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000783:Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D000792:Angiography; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*