Stentgraft-Implantation for Treatment of Internal Carotid Artery Injury during Endonasal Sinus Surgery

BACKGROUND: Damage of the internal carotid artery (ICA) is very rare but can be a dramatic complication of endonasal sinus surgery. In the literature only a few cases are reported, some of them with fatal results. METHODS: We present two cases with massive bleeding of the ICA caused by endonasal sinus surgery. RESULTS: In both cases bleeding could be stopped sufficiently by implanting a stentgraft. CONCLUSION: The lumen of the artery could be preserved and no neurological deficits were observed.