Petrous carotid artery pseudoaneurysm in bilateral carotid fibromuscular dysplasia: treatment by means of self-expanding covered stent.

BACKGROUND: Pseudoaneurysms of the petrous carotid artery may occur in the setting of trauma, dissection, invasive tumors, or as a complication of surgery. These aneurysms may grow and constitute a potential source of thromboembolic complications or rupture. CASE DESCRIPTION: We present a patient with bilateral carotid FMD presenting with a large petrous pseudoaneurysm. Because carotid occlusion was not appropriate, a self-expandable covered stent was implanted. This treatment allowed complete exclusion of the pseudoaneurysm and preservation of the parent artery.
CONCLUSION: The accepted treatment of psuedoaneurysms located at petrous ICA is either sacrifice of the carotid artery or exclusion of the aneurysm from the preserved carotid artery. These procedures have specific limitations, and they are technically demanding and associated with a substantial morbidity rate. The endovascular treatment of these lesions is the preferred alternative. Among the various endovascular techniques that have been tested so far, we propose self-expandable covered stents as ideal for treating arterial aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms of the petrous and cavernous carotid segments.