Giant cavernous internal carotid aneurysm presenting with dizziness and bradycardia: A case report and a review of literature.

Giant cavernous carotid aneurysms are rare pathologic entities that are typically benign and are considered less life-threatening due to the low risk of rupture of bleeding. They present with clinical features usually due to localized mass effects on adjacent neural structures, mainly the III, IV, V, and VI cranial nerves. There are various treatment options, including occlusion of the feeding vessel, immediate surgery on the aneurysm, bypass procedures, and use of endovascular devices. We present a case of a 36-year-old male presented to the emergency department with 5 days history of right retro-orbital pain and diplopia. The patient's imaging workup revealed a right giant cavernous carotid aneurysm. Along with the conventional symptoms, physical examination revealed sinus bradycardia. Internal carotid artery occlusion was performed, and his symptoms gradually resolved.

A pediatric case of completely thrombosed giant cavernous carotid aneurysm with ipsilateral ICA occlusion mimicking an intra-axial cystic lesion: a case report and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: There have been a few cases where completely thrombosed cavernous carotid artery (CCA) aneurysms have resembled neoplasms based on neuroimaging data, but no reports have been documented in children. CASE REPORT: We describe an unusual pediatric case of a huge cavernous sinus mass mimicking a cystic neoplasm with peripheral rim enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), where the surgery and subsequent histopathological investigation revealed that this mass was a completely thrombosed giant aneurysm of the CCA. The patient showed postoperatively no new neurological deficits and discharged a week later after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: In this case report, we describe a pediatric case of a completely thrombosed giant CCA aneurysm with ipsilateral internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion, which imitates an intra-axial cystic lesion on MRI.

Management of Cavernous Carotid Artery Aneurysms: A Retrospective Single-Center Experience.

OBJECTIVE: While cavernous carotid aneurysms can cause neurological symptoms, their often-uneventful natural course and the increasing options of intravascular aneurysm closure call for educated decision-making. However, evidence-based guidelines are missing. Here, we report 64 patients with cavernous carotid aneurysms, their respective therapeutic strategies, and follow-up. METHODS: We included all patients with cavernous carotid aneurysms who presented to our clinic between 2014 and 2020 and recorded comorbidities (elevated blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and nicotine consumption), PHASES score, aneurysm site, size and shape, therapeutic strategy, neurological deficits, and clinical follow-up. RESULTS: The mean age of the 64 patients (86% female) was 53 years, the mean follow-up time was 3.8 years. A total of 22 patients suffered from cranial nerve deficit. Of these patients, 50% showed a relief of symptoms regardless of the therapy regime. We found no significant correlations between aneurysm size or PHASES score and the occurrence of neurological symptoms. CONCLUSION: If aneurysm specific symptoms persist over a longer period of time, relief is difficult to achieve despite aneurysm treatment. Patients should be advised by experts in neurovascular centers, weighing the possibility of an uneventful course against the risks of treatment. In this regard, more detailed prospective data is needed to improve individual patient counseling.

Management of Coincident Pituitary Macroadenoma and Cavernous Carotid Aneurysm: A Systematic Literature Review.

Introduction Pituitary adenomas are a common intracranial pathology with an incidence of 15 to 20% in the population while cerebral aneurysms are less common with a prevalence of 1:50 patients. The incidence of aneurysms in patients with pituitary adenoma has been estimated at 2.3 to 5.4% of patients; however, this remains unclear. Equally, the management of concomitant lesions lacks significant understanding. Methods A case report is presented of a concomitant cerebral aneurysm and pituitary adenoma managed by minimally invasive endovascular and endoscopic methods, respectively. A systematic review of the literature for terms "pituitary adenoma" and "aneurysm" yielded 494 studies that were narrowed to 19 relevant articles. Results We report a case of a 67-year-old patient with an enlarging pituitary macroadenoma, cavernous carotid aneurysm, and unilateral carotid occlusion. After successful treatment of the aneurysm by a pipeline flow diverter, the pituitary adenoma was surgically resected by an endoscopic transsphenoidal approach. Conclusion The use of a pipeline flow diverter and endonasal approach was feasible in the treatment of our patient. This is the first report to our knowledge of the use of pipeline flow diversion in the management of a cavernous carotid aneurysm prior to pituitary adenoma treatment.

Trans-Cell Technique through Mesh of Pipeline Embolization Device: A Case Report.

Objective: We report a case of coil embolization using trans-cell technique through mesh of a pipeline embolization device (PED). Case Presentation: A 55-year-old female developed a left cavernous carotid aneurysm (CCA) with left abducens nerve palsy. The abducens nerve palsy improved gradually after PED deployment for the aneurysm. Sixty-nine days after the procedure, the patient suddenly presented with a severe headache, left abducens nerve palsy, left eyelid edema, and left pulsatile tinnitus. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) revealed left direct carotid cavernous fistula (dCCF) due to rupture of the aneurysm, and the patient underwent endovascular treatment. A Marathon was guided into the left internal carotid artery, and a guidewire via the Marathon passed through the mesh of the PED. Then the Marathon advanced over the guidewire into the aneurysm through the mesh of the PED, with assistance of a distal access catheter and a balloon catheter. Transarterial intra-aneurysmal coil embolization using trans-cell technique was performed, and the shunt blood flow was diminished. After subsequent transvenous embolization (TVE), the shunt blood flow disappeared, and all neurological symptoms improved. When PED is deployed linearly at a diameter 0.5 mm smaller than the nominal diameter, the average strand spacing is calculated to be approximately 0.2 mm. Since PED is a braided stent, the spacing can be large. It is theoretically reasonable for Marathon with an outer diameter of 0.59 mm to pass through the mesh of the PED. Conclusion: In some cases, trans-cell technique through mesh of PED can be performed using a small diameter microcatheter.

High-Flow Bypass with Radial Artery Graft for Cavernous Carotid Aneurysm.

Cavernous carotid aneurysms can be managed by different surgical as well as endovascular methods. The aim of treatment is to exclude the aneurysm from circulation and maintain normal cerebral blood flow. We are reporting a case of incidentally detected CCA managed by high flow bypass with radial artery graft. We discuss the surgical technique and nuances of high flow bypass surgery.

Endovascular Treatment for Cavernous Carotid Aneurysms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Coiling and flow diversion are established endovascular techniques for treatment of cavernous carotid aneurysms (CCAs). We performed a systematic review of published series on endovascular treatment of CCAs in order to assess the efficacy and safety between coiling and flow diversion. METHODS: We conducted a computerized search of PubMed, MEDLINE, and Web of Science electronic databases for reports on endovascular treatment of CCAs from 1990 to 2019. Comparisons were made in complete occlusion rate, improvement of symptoms rate and intraoperative complication rate between coiling and flow diversion. RESULTS: Fourteen studies with 736 patients were included in this systematic review. Five hundred ninety-4 patients underwent coiling, 142 patients underwent flow diversion. The complete occlusion rate in the coiling group was significantly lower than that in the flow division group (odds ratio .37, 95%CI .16-.83, P < .00001), a forest plot did not reveal any significant differences in the improvement of symptoms rate or intraoperative complication rate following coiling and flow diversion. Complete occlusion rate was significantly lower in the coiling group (53%, 95%CI .40-.67) compared with the flow diversion group (74%, 95%CI .55-.94). Improvement of symptoms was significantly lower in the coiling group (54%, 95%CI .46-.63) compared with the flow diversion group (92%, 95%CI .85-.99). Coiling group had lower intraoperative complication rate (9%, 95%CI .06-.12) compared with flow division group (36%, 95%CI .25-.47). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with coiling, the use of flow diversion for the treatment of CCAs may increase complete occlusion rate, and improvement of symptoms rate, but it also raised intraoperative complication rate. Due to the lack of high quality control research, further randomized controlled trials are needed to verify our conclusions.

Predictors of the Resolution of Cavernous Sinus Syndrome Caused by Large/Giant Cavernous Carotid Aneurysms After Parent Artery Occlusion with High-Flow Bypass.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical results and factors related to the resolution of preoperative cranial neuropathy after internal carotid artery ligation with high-flow bypass in patients with symptomatic large or giant cavernous carotid aneurysms. METHODS: This study included 18 consecutive patients (15 women) with cranial neuropathy. All patients underwent therapeutic internal carotid artery ligation with high-flow bypass using a radial artery graft. Patient demographics, duration of symptoms, clinical outcomes, complications, and radiographic findings were retrospectively analyzed. The mean follow-up period was 31.0 months (range: 3-74 months). RESULTS: Patients' mean age was 66.6 years, and the mean aneurysm size was 23.7 mm. Six patients (33%) had partially thrombosed aneurysms. Preoperatively, 16 (89%) and 8 (44%) patients presented with ophthalmoplegia and facial pain, respectively. Bypass patency was confirmed in 15 patients (83%), and obliteration of the aneurysm was confirmed in all patients at the final follow-up. Preoperative ophthalmoplegia resolved in 10 patients (63%), and trigeminal pain resolved in all patients. Postoperative resolution of patients' ophthalmoplegia was significantly associated with age (P = 0.044), symptom duration before treatment (P = 0.042), and the degree of ophthalmoplegia (P = 0.046). The degree of postoperative residual ophthalmoplegia was positively correlated with the duration of ophthalmoplegia from onset to surgery (r = 0.619; P = 0.011). Preoperative trigeminal pain resolved regardless of the preoperative duration of this symptom in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Early treatment is recommended when treating large or giant cavernous carotid aneurysms with cranial neuropathy. Complete resolution is possible in younger patients with partial neuropathy.

Sudden-onset Blindness from a Spontaneous Carotid-cavernous Fistula with Secondary Central Retinal Artery Occlusion and Posterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy.

Our case describes a patient diagnosed with a carotid-cavernous fistula (CCF) secondary to a spontaneously ruptured cavernous carotid aneurysm, presenting with sudden vision loss, and a concomitant central retinal artery occlusion as visualized by a cherry-red spot in the macula and posterior ischemic optic neuropathy. Computed tomography of the brain and orbits showed mild hydrocephalus, orbital fat haziness, and proptosis with concern for fluid in the basal cisterns. Cerebral angiography confirmed the suspected diagnosis of CCF. After angiography, a Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain demonstrated abnormal diffusion restriction in the posterior right optic nerve confirmed on the apparent diffusion coefficient map, consistent with ischemia of the optic nerve in this location. Two weeks after discharge, outpatient fundus photography showed resolution of her cherry-red spot, and optical coherence tomography showed thinning of the entire retinal nerve fiber layer as compared to the contralateral eye. In CCFs, congestive symptoms of proptosis, pain, and even central retinal vein occlusion findings are frequently described. However, our patient's no light perception vision and imaging findings suggest associated central retinal artery occlusion and ischemic optic neuropathy. These findings underscore the multitude of serious visual effects of high flow CCFs.

A Retrospective Analysis of Treatment Outcomes of 40 Incidental Cavernous Carotid Aneurysms.

BACKGROUND: The management of cavernous carotid aneurysms (CCAs) poses a significant dilemma to the treating surgeon. Asymptomatic CCAs usually are managed conservatively with clinical and radiologic follow-up. Large size, intradural extension, sphenoid bone erosion, and increasing size on follow-up are usual indications for treating asymptomatic CCAs. However, there are no clear-cut guidelines in literature. We share our experience of 40 asymptomatic CCAs treated by endovascular and surgical methods. METHODS: All the asymptomatic CCAs treated between January 2014 and December 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. Patient demographics, aneurysm characteristics, postprocedural complications, and clinical and radiologic follow-up data were obtained from records. Outcome was evaluated in terms of aneurysm obliteration and maintained cerebral perfusion, postoperative complications, recurrence, and clinically significant complications during follow-up. RESULTS: Endovascular coiling, balloon-assisted coiling, and stent-assisted coiling were performed in 27 (75%), 5 (13.9%), and 4 (11.1%), respectively. Raymond-Roy occlusion classification grade I occlusion was achieved in 88.9% of cases. No immediate or delayed complications were noted. Coil compaction was seen in 4 (11.1%) patients. In the surgery group, all patient underwent high-flow bypass with radial artery graft. Aneurysm exclusion with good graft patency was achieved in all 4 cases without any permanent morbidity or mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The current study demonstrates excellent outcomes of asymptomatic CCAs after treatment. In view of the technical advancements of both surgical and endovascular methods, consideration for treatment should be given to asymptomatic CCAs. Each aneurysm should be individually assessed by experts for choosing the best endovascular or surgical treatment option.

Massive Epistaxis from Nontraumatic Cavernous Carotid Aneurysm Treated by High-Flow Bypass and Cervical Internal Carotid Artery Ligation: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: Epistaxis is a rare presentation of the ruptured cavernous carotid aneurysm, especially the nontraumatic type. Both endovascular therapies and open surgeries have a role in the treatment with various outcomes, but the standard procedure is not well established. We report a successful high-flow bypass with cervical internal carotid artery ligation for aneurysm repair and review the related literature. CASE DESCRIPTION: An 81-year-old man presented with massive epistaxis from the left nostril. The epistaxis was controlled by nasal packing. A saccular aneurysm of the cavernous segment of the left internal carotid artery projecting into the sphenoid sinus was revealed using computed tomography angiography. We treated this patient with high-flow bypass with ligation of the cervical internal carotid artery. Immediate postoperative computed tomography angiography showed complete disappearance of the aneurysm. Nasal packing was removed without further bleeding. No neurological deficit or complications were detected in the postoperative period. CONCLUSIONS: In cases of massive or recurrent epistaxis without coagulopathy or nasal pathology, a cavernous carotid aneurysm should be considered. Immediate cessation of the bleeding is necessary. Flow-preservation bypass with proximal ligation of the parent artery is 1 of the effective procedures for the treatment of this condition with low morbidity.

Atypical Symptomatic Bilateral Spontaneous Cavernous Carotid Aneurysm with Systemic Vessel Wall Pathology in Young Female: A Rare Case Report.

Bilateral cavernous carotid aneurysm (CCA) is a rare entity. Its association with connective tissue disorder makes the diagnosis and treatment of symptomatic patient an enigma. We present a case report of a 25-year-old female medical student presented to us with bilateral spontaneous atypically symptomatic CCA with incidentally diagnosed case of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Both surgical and endovascular options of treatment were weighed and were ultimately treated satisfactorily by high-flow bypass with carotid artery ligation with an insurance bypass.

Direct Carotid Cavernous Fistula Due to Rupture of a Cavernous Carotid Aneurysm Embedded Within a Prolactinoma After Cabergoline Administration.

BACKGROUND: A small number of reports have described subarachnoid hemorrhage resulting from a ruptured aneurysm embedded within a prolactinoma. To the best of our knowledge, no reports have described an embedded carotid cavernous fistula. We report a patient with carotid cavernous fistula secondary to a ruptured internal carotid artery aneurysm embedded within a prolactinoma. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 61-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with sudden headache, vomiting, and dizziness. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a small acute subdural hematoma, recurrent prolactinoma, and left cavernous carotid aneurysm. Conservative therapy was initiated. Her serum prolactin level at hospitalization was 11,300 µg/L; therefore, we initiated cabergoline therapy. Twenty days after cabergoline administration, she suddenly presented with left conjunctival injection and pulsatile tinnitus. Angiography showed a left direct carotid cavernous fistula with a connection between the cavernous internal carotid artery and the cavernous sinus via the aneurysm and venous congestion. To prevent hemorrhagic stroke, we scheduled staged surgery. First, we urgently performed embolization of the cavernous sinus and fistula. One month later, to prevent aneurysm rerupture, we performed a radical operation with superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery double anastomosis with proximal occlusion of the left internal carotid artery at the cervical portion. The patient was discharged 2 weeks after surgery without neurological deficits. Follow-up angiography revealed complete occlusion of the aneurysm 2 months postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: An aneurysm embedded within a prolactinoma should be closely observed when cabergoline administration is started.

Transient Aggravation of Hypopituitarism After Parent Artery Occlusion with Low-Flow Bypass for Unruptured Giant Cavernous Carotid Aneurysm.

BACKGROUND: Hypopituitarism is not well known after the treatment of a cavernous carotid aneurysm extending to the sellar region by the parent artery occlusion and bypass surgery. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 60-year-old female presented with a 2-year-old progressive visual disturbance. The patient had no pituitary hormone-related symptoms or signs, but elevated prolactin and decreased free thyroxin levels are shown on blood examination. Neuroimages revealed a right giant partially thrombosed cavernous carotid aneurysm compressing the sella turcica markedly. The aneurysm was treated by the right cervical internal carotid artery ligation with the right superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery double anastomoses. The patient had headache, general fatigue, chilling, and hypoactivity on postoperative day 6, when aneurysmal mass effects were transiently increased on neuroimages, associated with hypocortisolism and hyponatremia. Hydrocortisone administration improved the symptoms and was tapered off at 8 months post surgery, as the aneurysm shrank and pituitary hormone values were normalized except for prolactin. CONCLUSION: Hypopituitarism should be taken into consideration even after the parent artery occlusion with bypass surgery for a giant carotid aneurysm compressing the sella turcica.

Recurrent Embolic Stroke Caused by Large Cavernous Carotid Aneurysm: Stroke Recurrence Prevention with High-Flow Bypass Followed by Proximal Occlusion.

Intracranial aneurysms may cause embolic stroke. Medical or surgical management is selected on an individual basis, as the optimal treatment strategy has not been established. A 79-year-old woman with a large cavernous carotid aneurysm suffered repeated embolic stroke after enlargement and partial thrombosis of the aneurysm, in spite of antiplatelet therapy. Coil embolization of the primitive trigeminal artery and ligation of the internal carotid artery (ICA) at the cervical portion followed by high-flow bypass from the cervical external carotid artery to the middle cerebral artery were performed. The aneurysm was thrombosed, and prevention of further stroke was achieved. Acute enlargement and thrombosis of large or giant cavernous carotid aneurysm may cause repeated embolic stroke, and requires emergent exclusion of the aneurysm from circulation by proximal ICA occlusion together with distal revascularization before devastating embolic stroke occurs.

Post-traumatic Cavernous Carotid Pseudoaneurysm with Delayed Epistaxis.

Cavernous carotid aneurysms (CCAs) pose considerable dilemmas in management. Delayed post-traumatic epistaxis is a rare presentation of CCA. Clinically, the symptomatic triad of unilateral blindness, orbital fractures, and massive epistaxis is pathognomonic for internal carotid artery (ICA) pseudoaneurysm. The epistaxis is usually profound, intermittent, and life-threatening in nature. As most of these cases are initially seen by a physician, a high index of suspicion is essential during its early identification. Traumatic aneurysms are pseudoaneurysms with a fibrous wall that rupture and cause massive epistaxis resulting from disruption through the sphenoid sinus wall. We report a young adult who presented with the triad and severe anemia four months following head injury. He was treated with ligation of the carotid artery and a high-flow extracranial-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass. In the era of endovascular coiling and flow diverters, EC-IC bypass still has a role in the treatment of complex giant aneurysms with comparable results.

Cranial nerve deficits in giant cavernous carotid aneurysms and their relation to aneurysm morphology and location.

BACKGROUND: Giant cavernous carotid aneurysms (GCCAs) usually exert substantial mass effect on adjacent intracavernous cranial nerves. Since predictors of cranial nerve deficits (CNDs) in patients with GCCA are unknown, we designed a study to identify associations between CND and GCCA morphology and the location of mass effect. METHODS: This study was based on data from the prospective clinical and imaging databases of the Giant Intracranial Aneurysm Registry. We used magnetic resonance imaging and digital subtraction angiography to examine GCCA volume, presence of partial thrombosis (PT), GCCA origins, and the location of mass effect. We also documented whether CND was present. RESULTS: We included 36 GCCA in 34 patients, which had been entered into the registry by eight participating centers between January 2009 and March 2016. The prevalence of CND was 69.4%, with one CND in 41.7% and more than one in 27.5%. The prevalence of PT was 33.3%. The aneurysm origin was most frequently located at the anterior genu (52.8%). The prevalence of CND did not differ between aneurysm origins (p = 0.29). Intracavernous mass effect was lateral in 58.3%, mixed medial/lateral in 27.8%, and purely medial in 13.9%. CND occurred significantly more often in GCCA with lateral (81.0%) or mixed medial/lateral (70.0%) mass effect than in GCCA with medial mass effect (20.0%; p = 0.03). After adjusting our data for the effects of the location of mass effect, we found no association between the prevalence of CND and aneurysm volume (odds ratio (OR) 1.30 (0.98-1.71); p = 0.07), the occurrence of PT (OR 0.64 (0.07-5.73); p = 0.69), or patient age (OR 1.02 (95% CI 0.95-1.09); p = 0.59). CONCLUSIONS: Distinguishing between medial versus lateral location of mass effect may be more helpful than measuring aneurysm volumes or examining aneurysm thrombosis in understanding why some patients with GCCA present with CND while others do not. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NO: NCT02066493 ( clinicaltrials.gov ).

Persistent primitive trigeminal artery associated with a cavernous carotid aneurysm. Case report and literature review.

The persistent primitive trigeminal artery is the most common persistent carotid-vertebrobasilar anastomosis. Patients are usually asymptomatic and the persistent primitive trigeminal artery is commonly found incidentally on imaging. Rarely, they may present with symptoms of neurovascular conflict or cranial nerve compression syndromes as the artery may be intimately related to the cranial nerves. The basilar artery is often hypoplastic in this condition and blood supply to the posterior circulation is predominantly via the persistent primitive trigeminal artery. Recognizing the persistent primitive trigeminal artery is imperative as disease of the artery may result in ischemia of the posterior circulation. To date, there is no clear association between this artery and cerebral aneurysms. We present a rare case of a patient with a persistent primitive trigeminal artery and a concomitant cavernous carotid aneurysm together with a literature review.

Surgical treatment of large and giant cavernous carotid aneurysms.

Cavernous carotid aneurysms (CCAs) are uncommon pathologic entities. Extradural place and the skull base location make this type of an aneurysm different in clinical features and treatment techniques. Direct aneurysm clipping is technically difficult and results in a significant postoperative neurological deficit. Therefore, several techniques of indirect surgical treatment were developed with different surgical outcomes, such as proximal occlusion of internal carotid artery (ICA) or trapping with or without bypass (superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery bypass or high-flow bypass). High-flow bypass with proximal ICA occlusion seems to be the most appropriate surgical treatment for CCA because of the high rate of symptom improvement, aneurysm thrombosis, and minimal postoperative complications. However, in cases of CCA presented with direct carotid-cavernous fistula, the appropriate surgical treatment is high-flow bypass with aneurysm trapping, which the fistula can be obliterated immediately after surgery.

Off-label uses of the Pipeline embolization device: a review of the literature.

The Pipeline embolization device (PED) is the most widely used flow diverter in endovascular neurosurgery. In 2011, the device received FDA approval for the treatment of large and giant aneurysms in the internal carotid artery extending from the petrous to the superior hypophyseal segments. However, as popularity of the device grew and neurosurgeons gained more experience, its use has extended to several other indications. Some of these off-label uses include previously treated aneurysms, acutely ruptured aneurysms, small aneurysms, distal circulation aneurysms, posterior circulation aneurysms, fusiform aneurysms, dissecting aneurysms, pseudoaneurysms, and even carotid-cavernous fistulas. The authors present a literature review of the safety and efficacy of the PED in these off-label uses.