Ischemic necrosis of the scalp after preoperative embolization of meningeal tumors.

The authors report two patients who suffered ischemic necrosis of their scalps after preoperative therapeutic embolic occlusion of the external carotid artery and its terminal branches for highly vascular meningeal tumors. Local anesthesia, selective catheterization of the external carotid artery, and radiopaque polyvinyl alcohol and Gelfoam as embolic agents were used. The various complications of external carotid artery embolization are reviewed. The importance of preserving normal branches of the external carotid artery (especially the superficial temporal artery) during embolization and of careful design of the scalp flap to avoid ischemic necrosis is emphasized.