Abstract

Pseudoaneurysms of carotid artery are rare. Nearly all aneurysms are acquired and more commonly seen in adults. Internal carotid artery aneurysms (ICA) represent 5.6% of all carotid aneurysms. Labor is a rare cause of ICA aneurysm. Repeated minor hemorrhages from the nose and throat, Horner's syndrome are typical symptoms of a pseudoaneurysm of ICA. A 44-year-old multiparaous female presented to our clinic with a complaint of swelling in the neck for one month. The mass in the neck had appeared after her last (11th) labor. Physical examination of the neck revealed a 5x5 cm mass in the left side of the neck. Computed tomography (CT) revealed a pseudoaneurysm originating from the wall of internal carotid artery which was surrounded by a hematoma. The treatment of the pseudoaneurysm of ICA is endovascular intervention or ICA ligation. In our patient endovascular intervention was not successful, therefore ICA was ligated. We report this case because ICA aneurysms are rare, therefore they should be thought in the differential diagnosis of neck masses.