Endovascular treatment of an extracranial internal carotid artery aneurysm at the skull base with mechanically detachable coils--case report.

A 45-year-old male experienced a transient ischemic attack manifesting as left blurred vision and right hemiparesis. Angiography demonstrated an extracranial internal carotid artery aneurysm at the entrance of the carotid canal just above the C-1 vertebral arch. Intraluminal occlusion of the aneurysm was achieved with mechanically detachable coils under local anesthesia, and the carotid flow was preserved. There was no complication during or following the procedure. Treatment of aneurysms using detachable coils is an important alternative to surgical treatment when surgical access to the lesion is difficult.