Aneurysm of the external carotid artery following a foreign body in the pharynx.

A case of false aneurysm of the external carotid artery following impaction of a fish bone in the pharynx is reported. An incorrect preoperative diagnosis led to a near-fatal issue. Reference is made to some other reports of arterial injury following impaction of foreign bodies in the throat. The various factors in the erroneous diagnosis in this case are examined and it is submitted that, although not all the signs of an aneurysm may be present, it should be possible to make a correct preoperative diagnosis of this complication given sufficient awareness of its possibility.