BILATERAL EXTRACRANIAL ANEURYSMS OF THE INTERNAL CAROTID-ARTERY - A CASE-REPORT

The authors report a case study of bilateral extracranial atherosclero tic aneurysms of the internal carotid artery, discovered simultaneousl y in a 58 year-old man, The patient had previously undergone polyarter ial surgery for a subrenal abdominal aortic aneurysm 11 years earlier. The operation was performed in two stages with a few days interval, w ith an identical procedure on each side: under general anesthesia, res ectioning of the aneurysm, restauration of the arterial flow by an int ernal saphenous venous graft between the internal and common carotids, and re-positioning the external carotid. The surgical follow-up was u neventful. Extracranial aneurysms of the internal carotid artery are r are, although well-documented. To be found bilaterally, as in our case , is exceptionally unusual. The seriousness and the frequency of compl ications from internal carotid artery aneurysms indicate that surgical treatment is warranted.