Traumatic aneurysm of the internal carotid artery in an infant: a surprise diagnosis

Isolated aneurysm of the extracranial section of the internal carotid artery has been reported in children but never, to our knowledge, in an infant. It can represent a major anaesthetic challenge with compromise of both airway and cerebral perfusion and the associated risks of rupture. We report on an 11-month-old infant, who had undergone an examination under anaesthesia of her nose and throat for epistaxis and gastrointestinal endoscopy due to apparent gastrointestinal bleeding shortly before presenting to us with signs of rapidly progressive upper airway obstruction. Emergency examination under anaesthesia revealed a large pulsatile mass in the posterior nasopharynx which, on subsequent radiological investigation, was revealed to be a large pseudoaneurysm of the right internal carotid artery, obstructing distal flow. An apparently minor episode of trauma had occurred around the time of the first nosebleed; she had allegedly fallen onto her face with a spoon in her mouth.