Successful endovascular therapy of a penetrating zone III internal carotid injury.

Penetrating injuries to the internal carotid artery in zone III of the neck can be a significant challenge to the operating surgeon. Direct surgical exposure and repair of the internal carotid artery at the skull base can be extremely difficult, and surgical options for treatment of a pseudoaneurysm at this location are limited. We present a case of an 18-year-old man who sustained a single gunshot wound to the distal cervical internal carotid artery that led to a pseudoaneurysm managed with endovascular exclusion. Recent literature on the surgical and endovascular management of distal carotid injuries is reviewed.