Endovascular Treatment of an Infected Carotid Prosthetic Patch and Pseudo-aneurysm

Abstract 

Prosthetic patch infection following carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is rare and usually requires surgical excision of the patch and carotid ligation or reconstruction. We present a case of carotid patch infection with pseudoaneurysms successfully treated with a covered stent. Follow-up to 31 months demonstrated no clinical, biochemical or microbiological evidence of local or systemic infection and surveillance duplex confirmed continued exclusion of the pseudoaneurysm. At fourteen months, symptomatic proximal and distal restenoses were successfully restented. The patient then remained asymptomatic, but the distal stenosis recurred. Endovascular treatment may be an alternative to surgery, particularly in those who are high risk.

Keywords: Pseudoaneurysm, Infected patch, Carotid artery, Endovascular, Stent, Restenosis