Spontaneous carotid artery aneurysms

Abstract

Background: Spontaneous carotid artery aneurysms are infrequently reported, and are almost always non-atherosclerotic. Methods: The records of 29 patients with a spontaneous carotid aneurysm treated in an academic vascular unit between 1990 and 1998 were reviewed. Results: All 29 patients were black South Africans; three had bilateral aneurysms. There were 24 men and five women, of mean age 35 (range 13-62) years. Some 25 aneurysms involved the common carotid artery, 12 of which affected the bifurcation, and seven were located in the internal carotid artery. Twenty-five aneurysms were managed surgically, four of which were ligated owing to sepsis. Histological evaluation showed human immunodeficiency virus-related arteritis in four, tuberculous aneurysms in ten, Takayasu's arteritis in two, atherosclerosis in three and non-specific chronic inflammation in four patients. Microbiological examination was negative in all but one patient who had Salmonella sp. cultured. Outcome was generally favourable, but one patient died from massive hemispheric infarction. There were no other new neurological deficits. Conclusion: Carotid aneurysms pose a considerable surgical challenge but are amenable to operative intervention with good result. Ligation appears to be well tolerated in this group of predominantly nonatherosclerotic aneurysms.