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Profuse epistaxis following sphenoid surgery: a ruptured carotid artery pseudoaneurysm and its management
D Biswas1, A Daudia, N S Jones
1Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, UK. drdbiswas@hotmail.com
Objective:
We report a rare case of iatrogenic pseudoaneurysm of the internal carotid artery secondary to endoscopic sphenoid surgery.
Method:
The management of this unusual complication and a review of the literature are presented.
Results:
A 65-year-old woman presented with intractable epistaxis four days following endoscopic sphenoid sinus surgery. Initial, conservative measures were unsuccessful in controlling bleeding. The clinical picture of delayed, severe epistaxis after a sphenoid sinus exploration raised the possibility of injury to the internal carotid artery and subsequent formation of a false aneurysm. The patient's pseudoaneurysm was managed, without visualising it, by packing the sphenoid sinus (achieved by palpating 1 cm above the shoulder of the posterior choana) in order to gain control of the haemorrhage, followed by endovascular occlusion.
Conclusion:
An awareness of this rare complication is essential in order to manage this life-threatening condition efficiently.
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