Traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the pharyngeal artery: An unusual cause of hematemesis and hematochezia after craniofacial trauma.
BACKGROUND
Traumatic aneurysms of the internal maxillary artery are extremely rare. We report a case of traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the pharyngeal artery, a branch of the internal maxillary artery, presenting with hematemesis and hematochezia.


METHODS
An 18-year-old man presented with deep drowsy consciousness after a motor vehicle accident, in which he had a severe craniofacial injury. Three days later, he had hematemesis and hematochezia with a marked decrease in circulating hemoglobin level. External carotid arteriography performed to rule out vascular injury revealed active leakage from a false aneurysm of the pharyngeal artery. The lesion was successfully obliterated by superselective endovascular embolization.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with craniofacial injury associated with multiple traumas, traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the pharyngeal artery should be suspected as one of the possible causes of hematemesis and hematochezia. Selective endovascular embolization with cerebral angiography is an effective modality for the treatment and diagnosis of this lesion.
Lee
Chang-Young
CY
Department of Neurosurgery, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu 700-712, South Korea. nslcy@dsmc.or.kr
Yim
Man-Bin
MB
Benndorf
Goetz
G
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D003244:Consciousness Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006396:Hematemesis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008438:Maxillary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010614:Pharynx / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome