title: An Infected Aneurysm of the Vertebral Artery Treated with a Stent-graft: A Case Report.
abstract: In a 75-year-old man, a growing vertebral artery aneurysm at the C3/4 intervertebral level was found at postoperative evaluation of cervical abscess, which was diagnosed as a complication of sepsis subsequent to cholangitis. Even after a successful antibiotic treatment and a surgical drainage, the aneurysm grew enough to cause compression of esophagus and trachea. The aneurysm was judged to be infection-related, based on the clinical course and the anatomical vicinity to the abscess. Following a dual antiplatelet treatment (clopidogrel 75 mg and aspirin 100 mg per day) for a week, the patient underwent endovascular treatment of the aneurysm with a stent-graft. Postoperative angiography showed complete obliteration of the aneurysm with preserving patency of the vertebral artery. A dual antiplatelet treatment was continued for 6 months and was changed to a single antiplatelet treatment (clopidogrel 75 mg per day) thereafter. Neither recurrence of the aneurysm nor stent-graft infection was observed for 4 years of follow-up. This case illustrates the potential use of a stent-graft in the treatment of an infected aneurysm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Kishiwada City Hospital.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Fumiaki
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Isaka
authors.forename: Kohsuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamashita
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000785:Aneurysm, Infected / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D000792:Angiography; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015607:Stents; D013988:Ticlopidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014711:Vertebral Artery
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D013988:Ticlopidine; D001241:Aspirin