Endovascular covered stent reconstruction improved the outcomes of acute carotid blowout syndrome: Experiences at a Single Institute

Carotid blowout is a devastating complication in patients with head and neck cancer, commonly encountered as a delayed complication of radiation therapy. The clinical outcomes in patients with carotid blowout are discouraging; even transarterial embolization has been performed to control the acute massive bleeding. In recent years, covered stents have been reported as an alternative treatment producing favorable results. In this study, 13 consecutive patients with acute carotid blowout syndrome were treated at our institute by covered-stent reconstruction between December 2005 and December 2007. The median posthemorrhagic survival period after reconstruction (187 days) was more than that reported in patients treated only with transarterial embolization (26 days). Though the estimated mortality was about 54%, those who survived showed favorable outcomes, and only one transit complication of acute in-stent thrombosis occurred. Thus, endovascular covered-stent reconstruction is a safe and effective approach to manage acute carotid blowout syndrome.