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Covered Stent-Graft Treatment of Traumatic Internal Carotid Artery Pseudoaneurysms: A Review

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Abstract

Objective

To review the literature concerning the management with placement of covered stent-grafts of traumatic pseudoaneurysms of the extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) resulting from penetrating craniocervical injuries or skull base fractures.

Method

We have reviewed, from the Medline database, all the published cases in the English literature since 1990 and we have added a new case.

Results

We identified 20 patients with traumatic extracranial ICA pseudoaneurysms due to penetrating craniocervical injuries or skull base fractures who had been treated with covered stent-graft implantation. Many discrepancies have been ascertained regarding the anticoagulation therapy. In 3 patients the ICA was totally occluded in the follow-up period, giving an overall occlusion rate 15%. No serious complication was reported as a result of the endovascular procedure.

Conclusion

Preliminary results suggest that placement of stent-grafts is a safe and effective method of treating ICA traumatic pseudoaneurysms resulting from penetrating craniocervical injuries or skull base fractures. The immediate results are satisfactory when the procedure takes place with appropriate anticoagulation therapy. The periprocedural morbidity and mortality and the early patency are also acceptable. A surveillance program with appropriate interventions to manage restenosis may improve the long-term patency.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Vascular Surgery, The Red Cross Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Dimitrios Maras, Christos Lioupis, Konstantinos Moulakakis & Vasilios Andrikopoulos

  2. Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Neuroradiology, Henry Dynant Hospital, Athens, Greece

    George Magoufis & Nikolaos Tsamopoulos

  3. Christos Lioupis, Dimokratias 59, Palaio Faliro, 17563, Athens, Greece

    Christos Lioupis

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  1. Dimitrios Maras
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  2. Christos Lioupis
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  3. George Magoufis
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Correspondence to Christos Lioupis.

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Maras, D., Lioupis, C., Magoufis, G. et al. Covered Stent-Graft Treatment of Traumatic Internal Carotid Artery Pseudoaneurysms: A Review. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 29, 958–968 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-005-0367-7

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