Occipital Artery Pseudoaneurysm After Posterior Fossa Craniotomy.

BACKGROUND

Pseudoaneurysms of scalp arteries have been reported in rare cases after iatrogenic injury; however, they are far more commonly seen after traumatic injuries. They are usually associated with the superficial temporal artery; however, there have been a few reports of psuedoaneurysms of the occipital artery (OA).

CASE DESCRIPTION

We present a unique case of an OA pseudoaneurysm presenting with delayed postoperative hemorrhage after a retrosigmoid craniotomy. The pseudoaneurysm was treated by coil embolization.

CONCLUSIONS

The patient recovered fully after endovascular embolization. Other treatment options for pseudoaneurysms of facial, temporal, and scalp arteries include surgical clipping/trapping with excision, Hunterian ligation, or direct compression. Pseudoaneurysms of extracranial scalp arteries are rare and most often caused by traumatic compression of the artery against a bony ridge. Despite their rarity, pseudoaneurysms secondary to iatrogenic injury to extracranial arteries should be considered in the differential diagnosis in patients presenting with delayed incisional pain, redness, and swelling.