Increased airway pressure due to superior mediastinal hematoma during endovascular coiling by transcarotid approach

An elderly woman with subarachanoid hemorrhage presented to our interventional neuroradiology suite for coil embolization of multiple intracranial aneurysms. The patient had difficult vascular access for the passage of microcatheter; hence, the embolization procedure was carried out with direct puncture of the left common carotid artery. During the procedure, the patient developed thromboembolism which was treated by administration of an antiplatelet agent, abciximab. At the end of procedure, she developed airway compromise due to extension of a local neck hematoma into the superior mediastinum. The management issues in such a scenario have been discussed.