Aneurysm of the superficial temporal artery following parotid gland surgery--case report and review of the literature

Pseudoaneurysm: Cause of Unusual Postoperative Bleed in Head and Neck

Although, instances of postoperative bleeding in ENT surgery are infrequent, sometimes they can be dreadful for both patient & surgeon. Here we are reporting 2 cases of postoperative bleeding that we encountered recently. (1) Superficial temporal artery aneurysmal bleed- post parotidectomy (2) Left superior thyroid artery aneurysmal bleed- post tracheostomy.

Traumatic pseudoaneurysms of external carotid artery branch: Case series and treatment considerations

PURPOSE

To explore the diagnosis and treatment of traumatic external carotid branch pseudoaneurysms.

METHODS

Eleven cases of traumatic external carotid artery branch pseudoaneurysms were admitted in our hospital. Digital subtraction angiography was performed in all patients. It revealed that the pseudoaneurysms originated from the internal maxillary artery in 5 cases, superficial temporal artery in 5 cases and occipital artery in 1 case. Five cases of internal maxillary artery pseudoaneurysms and 2 cases of superficial temporal artery pseudoaneurysms were treated by embolization; the other 3 cases were surgically resected.

RESULTS

Complete cessation of nasal bleeding was achieved in all the 5 pseudoaneurysms of internal maxillary artery after the endovascular therapies. Scalp bleeding stopped and scalp defect healed up in 2 patients with superficial temporal artery pseudoaneurysms treated by interventional therapy. All patients were followed up for 0.5-2.0 years without recurrence of nosebleed and scalp lump.

CONCLUSION

For patients with repeated severe epistaxis after craniocerebral injury, digital subtraction angiography should be performed as soon as possible to confirm traumatic pseudoaneurysm. Endovascular therapy is an effective method for traumatic internal maxillary artery pseudoaneurysms. For patients with scalp injuries and pulsatile lumps, further examinations including digital subtraction angiography should be performed to confirm the diagnosis. Surgical treatment or endovascular therapy for scalp traumatic pseudoaneurysm is effective.

Rupture of a superficial temporal artery pseudoaneurysm following craniotomy

Pseudoaneurysm of the superficial temporal artery (STA) is a rare entity that has been reported in the literature after trauma or iatrogenic injuries. We describe a unique case of STA pseudoaneurysm rupture and the clinical sequelae associated with its rupture. We report a case of pseudoaneurysm rupture of the STA that occurred 14 days after craniotomy for cerebrospinal fluid leak repair. We also review the literature, diagnosis and treatment of external carotid artery aneurysms. Rupture of a STA pseudoaneurysm is a previously unreported and serious complication that must be quickly recognized in order to control hemorrhage that may have life threatening complications.

Rare Diseases of the Salivary Glands and of Facial Nerve

Salivary gland diseases are rare. In the European Union (EU) a disease is considered to be rare if not more than 5 of 10,000 people are affected by it. According to estimates in Germany are about 4 million people with a rare disease. In the EU are about 30 million people with rare diseases [1]. In the present work most of the described diseases of salivary glands and of the facial nerve fall in this category. They form a very heterogeneous group whose treatment takes place mainly in specialized centers. Still, it is essential for the otolaryngologist to identify and to diagnose these diseases in order to initiate the right therapeutic steps. The work is a compilation of innate andacquired rare salivary gland disorders and of rare facial nerve disorders. The etiologies of inflammatory diseases, autoimmune disorders and tumors are taken into account. For the individual topics, the current literature, if available, was evaluated and turned into summarized facts. In this context the development of new processes, diagnostics, imaging and therapy are considered. Genetic backgrounds of salivary gland tumors and the trends in the treatment of tumorous lesions of the facial nerve are picked up. Furthermore, also rare diseases of the salivary glands in childhood are described. Some of them can occur in adults as well, but differ in frequency and symptoms. Due to the rarity of these diseases, it is recommended to tread these in centers with special expertise for it. Finally, the difficulties of initiation of studies and the problems of establishing disease registries concerning salivary gland disorders are discussed. This is very relevant because these pathologies are comparatively seldom.

Embolization treatment of pseudoaneurysms originating from the external carotid artery

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to review a single-institution contemporary experience with embolization treatment of pseudoaneurysms (PAs) from the external carotid artery (ECA).

METHODS

From December 2000 to June 2014, PAs in the head and neck of 17 patients underwent embolization treatment and were retrospectively evaluated. All were treated with obliteration of the feeding artery or the PA by detachable coils or fibered coils, or both. Clinical follow-up was a mean of 91.9 months (range, 4-173 months) and was performed for all patients. Therapeutic outcomes were determined by evaluating the postprocedural image and clinical outcome of symptoms and signs.

RESULTS

The 17 consecutive patients with head and neck PAs who underwent coils embolization treatment consisted of 14 male patients (82.3%) and three female patients (17.7%). The average age was 37.5 years (range, 16-57 years). The most common symptom and sign was a pulsatile mass, seen in 15 of 17 patients, and other symptoms included pain (three patients) or bleeding (four patients). Digital substraction angiography revealed that the PAs originated from the ECA in 3 patients and others originated from the branches of the ECA, including the superficial temporal artery in 6 patients, internal maxillary artery in 4, superior thyroid artery in 2, and the facial artery and posterior auricular artery in 1. Seventeen coils embolizations for occlusion of the parent artery were performed in 14 patients with a transarterial approach and in three by direct percutaneous puncture. All patients remained symptom free, and no procedure-related complications occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

Embolization treatment of PAs from the ECA is a useful alternative to standard surgical repair. This modality avoids the necessity for surgical exposure of the face and of the neck with its inherent morbidity.