Pseudoaneurisma de la arteria carótida interna extracraneana: reporte de tres casos y revisión de la literatura

摘要

Introduction. Carotid artery dissections are responsible for approximately 20% of ischemic stroke in young adults. Pseudoaneurysms are detected angiographically in 5%-40% of carotid artery dissections. Objectives. To present three cases of carotid artery dissection with pseudoaneurysm formation and analyze literature in terms of the natural evolution and therapeutic alternatives of the disease in order to determine the best options for treatment. Methods. Three carotid artery pseudoaneurysm cases presented during 2002 in our Department of Neurology were reviewed. Research was done using Medline and specialized Neurology and Neurosurgery articles published between 1980 and 2003, using the key words pseudoaneurysm and extracranial carotid artery dissection. Results. The clinical course of the three cases presented was benign. There was no evidence of rupture or embolization of the pseudoaneurysm during the 22 month mean follow-up period. The size of the pseudoaneurysm was reduced significantly in the first and second cases,70% and 90%, respectively. The third case had a contralateral pseudoaneurysm to the symptomatic carotid artery dissection, which remained unchanged in the angiographic controls. All cases were treated early with anticoagulants followed by antiplatelet therapy. Conclusions. Our cases had a benign outcome, as did those reported in literature. With this good prognosis, conservative management seems to be most reasonable course of action