Pseudoaneurysm of the superior thyroid artery following revision tracheostomy

Post-Tracheostomy Vascular Injury to the Anomalous Thymic Branch Managed by Endovascular Coiling

BACKGROUND

Tracheostomy-related arterial haemorrhage can be devastating especially if arising from an obscure anomalous vessel which can potentially complicate treatment decision.

METHODS

We report a case of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with upper airway obstruction, who had profuse bleeding, post-tracheostomy, from the stomal site. CT angiography showed presence of a pseudoaneurysm adjacent to the tracheostomy site which was confirmed on catheter angiography to be arising from anomalous thymic branch of right common carotid artery (CCA). Superselective cannulation of the anomalous thymic artery was done using a microcatheter with subsequent coil embolization.

RESULTS

Post-coiling, the bleeding stopped immediately and the patient recovered. He was under oncology care till 3 months following embolization and was doing well.

CONCLUSIONS

The emergency physicians should be aware of this rare variation of thymic artery while performing tracheostomy. Ultrasound as point-of-care device may help mitigate these complications. Endovascular embolization is a minimally invasive and effective management option for an injured arterial branch from a tracheostomy.

Contribution of Interventional Radiologist in the Management of Pseudoaneurysm and Neck Hemorrhages in COVID-19 patients

Patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may have endothelial inflammation, pseudoaneurysm, and an increasing risk of bleeding, especially during surgical procedures. In this article, we reported 2 cases of COVID-19 patients with neck vascular lesions. The first patient had pseudoaneurysm of the cricothyroid artery, which was treated by percutaneous glue injection through ultrasonography guidance. The second patient presented lateral neck hematoma in front of the left superior thyroid artery, which was managed by coil endovascular embolization. In the context of pandemic, the management of vascular lesions may be performed through interventional radiological procedures that may reduce the risk of virus aerosolization and health care provider contamination.

Spontaneous rupture of an aneurysm of the superior thyroid artery: A rare cause of acute respiratory failure

Ruptured aneurysm of superior thyroid artery is a very rare pathological event. Underlying causes such as trauma, malignancy or iatrogenic are not systematically found. Resulting cervical hematoma is life threatening and can lead to acute respiratory failure, dysphagia, vocal cord paralysis and hemomediastinum. Endovascular treatment combined with surgical drainage has been described as an effective treatment. In this case report, a 63-year-old man presented a spontaneous rupture of an aneurysm of superior thyroid artery resulting in cervical hematoma and acute respiratory failure.

Successful Kissing Balloon Expandable Stent Graft Treatment for a Right Common Carotid Pseudoaneurysm Caused by Tracheotomy

BACKGROUND

A rare complication following tracheotomy is common carotid artery (CCA) pseudoaneurysm. Treatment modalities for CCA pseudoaneurysm include surgical repair and single-artery balloon-covered stent graft technique. We describe successful treatment of tracheotomy-related CCA pseudoaneurysm with the "kissing balloon" expandable stent graft technique.

CASE DESCRIPTION

We successfully implemented the kissing balloon expandable stent graft technique for treatment of a large, narrow-necked, bilobed CCA pseudoaneurysm that arose owing to a tracheotomy complication. The pseudoaneurysm was detected while performing a diagnostic angiogram of the aortic arch and surrounding vessels. The stent was deployed while the 2 balloons were introduced in a kissing manner such that they faced one another to avoid occlusion of either branch of the innominate artery coming into contact; 1 balloon was inflated at the origin of the right subclavian artery, and the other was inflated at the right innominate artery simultaneously. The pseudoaneurysm was successfully contained; normal blood flow was restored in the CCA. The balloons were deflated and withdrawn. The patient remained neurologically intact after the procedure.

CONCLUSIONS

The kissing balloon technique is a safe and effective alternative to surgical repair, as it prevents morbidities associated with the surgical procedure. Also, this technique decreases the risk of major side-branch occlusion associated with the single-artery balloon-covered stent graft technique.

Profuse bleeding from a pseudoaneurysm of the right superior thyroid artery after tracheostomy

Case

A 70-year-old man was brought to our hospital emergency department with accidental thermal burns. Surgical tracheostomy was carried out on day 8 after admission, followed by several profuse bleeding episodes from the orifice. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the neck revealed a small nodule with arterial phase enhancement that was suspected to be a pseudoaneurysm. During emergency angiography, the nodule was revealed to be a pseudoaneurysm arising from the right superior thyroid artery with contrast medium extravasation.

Outcome

The patient underwent transcatheter arterial embolization, which resolved bleeding from the tracheostomy orifice.

Conclusion

Pseudoaneurysm of the superior thyroid artery is an extremely rare and life-threatening tracheostomy complication. All clinicians certified to perform tracheostomy should be acquainted with the various complications and methods for managing life-threatening post-tracheostomy complications.

Coil embolization in ruptured inferior thyroid artery aneurysm with active bleeding

We present a unique experience of urgent parent arterial embolization for treatment of an aneurysm of the inferior thyroid artery (ITA) that bled during tracheostomy. The event happened to a 69-year-old female patient with subarachnoid hemorrhage and hospital-acquired pneumonia that required tracheostomy. Abrupt and massive bleeding developed during the procedure, and the source could not be identified. Under manual compression, angiography revealed an 8-mm aneurysm that arose from the inferior thyroid artery. The superselected parent artery of the aneurysm was successfully occluded with a single pushable coil. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful.