Treatment of an Axillary Artery Pseudoaneursym using Balloon Protection and an Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol Copolymer (Onyx)

The development of an iatrogenic pseudoaneurysm is a recognised risk following arterial puncture. Management options include surgery, use of covered stents, ultrasound-guided compression and percutaneous injection of a thrombotic substance such as thrombin. This paper describes an alternative technique using balloon protection and the percutaneous injection of an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer, Onyx^® (Micro Therapeutics, Inc, Irvine, CA) under ultrasound guidance. This provides a safe and controlled method to occlude the pseudoaneurysm. The advantages of Onyx over other treatment methods are discussed.

Keywords: Axillary artery pseudoaneurysm, Ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer, Iatrogenic pseudoaneurysm