Treatment of a high large extracranial carotid artery pseudoaneurysm from trauma using a Viabahn graft

Stenting for Traumatic Pseudoaneurysms of the Cervical Internal Carotid Artery: Case Report and Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

The optimal stenting approach for traumatic pseudoaneurysms (PSA) of the extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) remains underinvestigated. We present a case of a traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the extracranial ICA managed with stenting and review of prior published similar cases.

METHODS

The systematic review followed PRISMA-S guidelines and included studies that investigated traumatic pseudoaneurysms of the extracranial ICA managed by stent placement. Statistical analysis assessed the association between the type of injury and stent type, dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) duration, and clinical presentation, and the association between stent type and DAPT duration.

RESULTS

Our search yielded 82 publications with 135 patients with extracranial ICA PSA treated with stenting. The odds of neck hematoma presentation was 12.2 times greater for patients with penetrating rather than blunt injuries (P = 0.000002). Covered stents had 2.02 times higher odds of use for penetrating rather than blunt injuries compared to bare metal stents. (P = 0.0029). Shorter duration DAPT was seen with bare metal stents having 1.25 higher odds of DAPT duration less than one month compared to covered (P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In traumatic extracranial ICA pseudoaneurysms, covered stents are used more commonly for penetrating injuries compared to blunt injuries. Penetrating injuries are more strongly associated with the presentation of a hematoma compared to blunt injuries. Stent type may influence the recommended DAPT duration. Surgeons should consider these findings when selecting stent type and DAPT duration with patients presenting with traumatic extracranial ICA pseudoaneurysm.

Long-Term Clinical and Radiologic Outcomes after Stent-Graft Placement for the Treatment of Late-Onset Post-Pancreaticoduodenectomy Arterial Hemorrhage

Purpose

To evaluate the long-term radiologic and clinical outcomes of stent-graft placement for the treatment of post-pancreaticoduodenectomy arterial hemorrhage (PPAH) based on the imaging findings of stent-graft patency and results of liver function tests.

Materials and Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of nine consecutive patients who underwent stent-graft placement for PPAH between June 2012 and May 2017. We analyzed the immediate technical and clinical outcomes and liver function test results. Stent-graft patency was evaluated using serial CT angiography images.

Results

All stent-grafts were deployed in the intended position for the immediate cessation of arterial hemorrhage and preservation of hepatic arterial blood flow. Technical success was achieved in all nine patients. Eight patients survived after discharge, and one patient died on postoperative day 28. The median follow-up duration was 781 days (range: 28-1766 days). Follow-up CT angiography revealed stent-graft occlusion in all patients. However, serum aspartate aminotransferase or alanine aminotransferase levels in all patients were well below those observed in hepatic infarction cases.

Conclusion

Stent-graft placement is a safe and effective treatment method for acute life-threatening PPAH. Liver function and distal hepatic arterial blood flow were maintained postoperatively despite the high incidence of stent-graft occlusion observed on follow-up CT.

Endovascular treatment of blunt injury of the extracranial internal carotid artery: the prospect and dilemma

The extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) refers to the anatomic location that reaches from the common carotid artery proximally to the skull base distally. The extracranial ICA belongs to the C1 segment of the Bouthillier classification and is at considerable risk for injury. Currently, the understanding of endovascular treatment (EVT) for blunt injury of the extracranial ICA is limited, and a comprehensive review is therefore important. In this review, we found that extracranial ICA blunt injury should be identified in patients presenting after blunt trauma, including classical dissection, pseudoaneurysm, and stenosis/occlusion. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) is the first-line method for screening for extracranial ICA blunt injury, although digital subtraction angiography (DSA) remains the "gold standard" in imaging. Antithrombotic treatment is effective for stroke prevention. However, routine EVT in the form of stenting should be reserved for patients with prolonged neurological symptoms from arterial stenosis or considerably enlarged pseudoaneurysm. Endovascular repair is now emerging as a favored therapeutic option given its demonstrated safety and positive clinical and radiographic outcomes.

Preliminary Experience Using a Covered Stent Graft in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke and Carotid Tandem Lesion

INTRODUCTION

Endovascular treatment with a covered heparin-bonded stent graft has been shown to be feasible and safe for treatment of peripheral artery disease, but its role in carotid disease remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility and safety of a covered stent graft in treating cervical carotid artery disease in a consecutive series of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to tandem lesion in a single high-volume Comprehensive Stroke Center.

METHODS

A retrospective review of all patients that underwent carotid endovascular interventions during mechanical thrombectomy for AIS using a self-expanding covered stent graft at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital between 2016 and 2018 was conducted. Patient clinical and angiographical characteristics as well as postoperative outcome and follow-up were recorded.

RESULTS

A total of eight patients were treated with the covered stents, and we observed significant improvement in stroke severity at 24 h in 5/8 patients (mean NIHSS 18 ± 5 vs 12 ± 8, p = 0.02). Successful recanalization (TICI 2b-3) after thrombectomy was achieved in 5/8 (62.5%) patients. One stent occluded during the procedure. At 3-month follow-up, stents were patent in three (37.5%) patients (two with mRS 3 and one with mRS 1). The stents of the remaining four patients (62.5%) were occluded (one with mRS 2 and three with mRS 4), although the patients did not show signs of stroke recurrence.

CONCLUSION

The preliminary results of our study show that the self-expanding covered stent graft did not achieve satisfactory patency at 90-days among patients with AIS and tandem lesions, suggesting that its use in the carotid circulation may not be recommended in the context of AIS.

Endovascular treatment of penetrating arterial trauma with stent grafts

Abstract. Background: The endovascular management of arterial injuries has resulted in reduced operating time, blood loss, hospital mortality, lower incidence of sepsis, and decrease in mortality rates. For penetrating trauma, however, the benefits of endovascular therapy are questionable. Patients and methods: Data were obtained by retrospective analysis of electronic medical records. All patients with vascular trauma seeking care at our institution from January 2010 to December 2015 were reviewed. A total of 223 vascular trauma patients were enrolled. Of these, 18 patients (8 %) were treated with endovascular techniques. The data related to clinical presentation, patient characteristics, technical aspects of the treatment, and follow-up were analysed. Results: The mean patient age was 35.4 ± 17.8 years, 94 % were male. The mean injury severity score was 10.4 ± 2.5. The most commonly observed trauma mechanism was a gunshot in 10 cases (55 %), followed by lesions provoked by arterial catheter misplacement in five cases (27 %), and stab wounds in three cases (16.6 %). The main injury site was the subclavian artery, accounting for eight cases (44 %), followed by the superficial femoral artery and the tibiofibular trunk in two cases, respectively (18 %). The anterior tibial, fibular artery, axillary, common carotid, superior mesenteric, and profunda femoris were each affected once. Arteriovenous fistula was detected in nine cases (50 %), pseudoaneurysms in nine cases (50 %), and short occlusion in two cases (11 %). The mean follow-up duration was 753 days. The primary patency rate was 92.3 and 61.5 % after one and two years, respectively. The survival rate was 94.4 % after one and two years. Infection of the stents or limb amputations were not identified at follow-up. Conclusions: The endovascular treatment of penetrating arterial injuries with covered stents is feasible. However, the criteria used to choose the best method must be individualized.

Keywords: Trauma, endovascular, stent graft, gunshot, stab wound

Endovascular treatment of traumatic internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm

INTRODUCTION

Traumatic internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm (TICAP) is the most common cause of stroke in young adults. The treatment of TICAP with open surgery poses excess risk, thus during last decade endovascular treatment strategies have been applied.

AIM

To assess the efficacy and the existing experience of endovascular treatment of TICAP.

METHODOLOGY

A systematic review of the literature was undertaken to identify all reported cases of endovascular treatment of TICAP from 1998 to 2015 in MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials.

RESULTS

A total of 193 patients (139 males, 75%) with mean age of 30.8±2.2 years in 23 case studies, were treated for their TICAP with endovascular treatment. The main causes of TICAP were road traffic accidents 51%, assaults 12%, fall from height 8% and other miscellaneous causes were 29%. In 8/23 studies, the patients were operated emergently, in 9/23 at least 1 month after the carotid injury, and in 6/23 the time between the injury and the operation was not reported. The total success rate of pseudoaneurysm occlusion was 84% (162/193). The reported peri-procedural morbidity rate was 6% (11/185; 3 TIA, 7 strokes and 1 subclavian artery dissection), and the peri-operative mortality rate was 1.2% (2/162). Most patients received post-operatively antiplatelet therapy (either single or dual) and the duration of the administration ranged from 3 months to long term. During their follow up (ranging from 4 days to 13 years) only 6 patients required re-intervention, and this was undertaken with endovascular approach.

CONCLUSION

Endovascular therapy tends to be an effective option for the treatment of TICAP with low morbidity and mortality rates.

Resection of a recurrent cervical internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm after failed endovascular therapy

Background:

Recurrence of a cervical internal carotid artery (ICA) pseudoaneurysm initially treated by endovascular means is rare. We report an instance where a patient returned with a recurrent, enlarging cervical ICA pseudoaneursym, 15 years after initial complete, endovascular occlusion of the ICA.

Case Description:

Patient is a 64-year-old male with a history of a right cervical ICA pseudoaneurysm diagnosed 15 years ago after a car accident. At the time, he received endovascular occlusion of his right ICA. Recent serial imaging demonstrated progressive enlargement of his pseudoaneurysm, up to 6 cm × 5 cm × 5.5 cm, without evidence of internal flow or extravasation. Due to dysphagia and hoarseness, resection of the pseudoaneurysm was recommended. Dissection occurred down to the lesion, where its borders were skeletonized. Its stump at the proximal ICA was mobilized and clamped; the lesion was incised and the existing thrombus, as well as the coil mass, was removed. The distal ICA appeared completely scarred with no retrograde filling. There were branches from the external carotid artery that appeared to supply the pseudoaneurysm. The scarred remnant of the distal ICA was sutured and the stump at the proximal ICA was ligated. Once hemostasis was obtained, closure occurred via anatomical layers. Postoperatively, the patient woke up well; at discharge, he exhibited no respiratory distress or dysphagia. At 5 months follow-up, a computed tomography angiography of the neck revealed no evidence for a residual pseudoaneurysm. He continues on lifelong aspirin.

Conclusion:

Recurrence of a cervical ICA pseudoaneursym is rare. We caution that such a clinical scenario is possible, even 15 years after endovascular occlusion of the ICA. Branches from the external carotid artery may feed the pseudoaneursym and cause recurrence. This mechanism has not been reported. Perhaps longer clinical follow-up is necessary, especially if endovascular therapy is the initial treatment option.