title: Delayed Occipital Artery Pseudoaneurysm Following Blunt Force Trauma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Occipital artery pseudoaneurysms are extremely rare pathologies that manifest after traumatic injury; only 11 cases have been reported in the literature. Because of their low incidence and vague symptoms, the initial diagnosis can be difficult. However, for correctly diagnosed occipital artery pseudoaneurysms, many successful treatment modalities exist.
  
  
  METHODS
  We review the pathology of occipital pseudoaneurysms, elucidate the reasons for their rarity, discuss effective diagnostic measures, and discuss the currently available treatment options. We also present a case of a 16-year-old boy who sustained blunt force trauma in May 2014 and presented 6 months later with a painful, pulsatile mass in the occipital region.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient underwent surgical resection to alleviate the pain and the potential risk of hemorrhage. He experienced complete resolution of pain and associated symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our case highlights the fact that occipital swelling, a significant initial sign of pseudoaneurysm development, can be delayed. Therefore, occipital artery pseudoaneurysms cannot be ruled out of the differential diagnosis based on time course alone. Surgical resection is a quick and effective method for relief of severe pain resulting from occipital artery pseudoaneurysms. Although they are rare entities, occipital artery pseudoaneurysms must be considered in the differential diagnosis of cases of pulsatile mass lesions in the posterior scalp.
authors.affiliation: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: Abhinav R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Changa
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: Ahmed M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Meleis
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA. Electronic address: luigi.bassani@rutgers.edu.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bassani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D039781:PubMed; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
keywords: Head trauma; Occipital artery; Pseudoaneurysms