Aneurysm of the Extracranial Internal Carotid Artery Seven Years After Trauma: A Case History and Literature Review

A false aneurysm of the extracranial internal carotid artery developed seven years after the effects of a motorcar accident had been treated in the Depart-ment of Otolaryngology. Excision and reconstructive surgery were successfully performed in the Division of Vascular Surgery. Literature study shows aneurysms of the extracranial carotid artery to be a rare condition. Trauma is mentioned as a major cause. Active treatment is man-datory. Surgical resection and reconstruction should be preferred. Case History A sixty-two-year-old Caucasian male was directed to our division by the ENT department in September, 1987, presenting with a pulsatile mass in the left lateral neck region. This proved to be a sessile aneurysm at the origin of the internal carotid artery (Fig. 1). The patient’s history was irrelevant, except for the fact that he had sustained a motorcar accident seven years before. During the crash he was forcefully projected to the left and his lateral neck region hit badly against his safety belt. He had had no other significant injuries