Carotid Artery Pseudoaneurysm Treated with an ePTFE-prosthesis

We report a case with a pseudoaneurysm of the common carotid artery treated by carotid aneurysmectomy. A 34-year-old male was admitted with a swelling on the left side of his neck. A duplex ultrasound showed a 2.5×1.5×1.5 cm pseudoaneurysm of the left common carotid artery, 1 cm caudal to the bifurcation. Twelve hours later the pseudoaneurysm had increased and an acute aneurysmectomy was performed. An 8 mm externally supported expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) graft was interpositioned. The patient was discharged 1 week after the surgery and 6 months after the operation he had recovered completely from a paresis of the left vocal cord. The reason for the pseudoaneurysm formation remains unclear as no bacterial, iatrogenic or traumatically aetiology was found.