[Clinical analysis of delayed epistaxis after craniofacial trauma in 16 patients]

Objective:To investigate the etiology,clinical presentations,diagnosis and treatment of delayed epistaxis after craniocerebral trauma.Method:A retrospective analysis was made including 16 cases who had the traumatic carotid artery injury with massive delayed epistaxis.All of them were finally diagnosed by digital substraction angiography(DSA).Final clinical outcome,radiographic data and follow-up data were analyzed.Result:Two cases of traumatic pesudoaneurysm from internal maxillary artery were embolized with polyvinyl alcohol particles and gelatin sponge.Fourteen cases of traumatic pesudoaneurysm located in ICA cavernous segment was embolized by covered stent.The covered stent placement was successful in all 14 pseudoaneurysms.No procedure-related complications or deaths occurred during follow-up except one of the case with visual field defects and another case with vision loss.Conclusion:Patients with delayed massive epistaxis or recurrent epistaxis after craniofacial trauma which cause pesudoaneurysm should undergo CTA,MRA or DSA examination,and it is would help to get proper diagnosis and treatment as early as possible.No recurrence was found after successful endovascular techniques.