Pseudoaneurysm of the superior thyroid artery following radiotherapy for hypopharyngeal cancer

Abstract

Carotid blowout syndrome is a devastating complication in head and neck cancer patients that is attributed to multifocal, iatrogenic arteriopathy following radical surgery or irradiation. Pseudoaneurysms of the carotid artery or its small branches are the most frequently recognized of these vascular lesions. We present a case of a ruptured pseudoaneurysm of the superior thyroid artery that was probably induced by radiation vasculopathy and was successfully treated by embolization therapy.