Occipital Artery Pseudoaneurysm: A Rare Complication of Head Trauma

Introduction

Occipital artery pseudoaneurysm is an extremely rare complication of head trauma with fewer than 15 reported cases in the literature.

Report

A 91-year-old man presented with a pulsatile, bleeding occipital mass 4 weeks following a fall. A clinical diagnosis of occipital artery pseudoaneurysm was made. The lesion was treated with surgery under local anaesthetic without complication.

Discussion

Occipital artery pseudoaneurysm following trauma can be diagnosed clinically or radiologically. Proposed treatments include conservative management, surgery, or endovascular treatment. In our case we made a clinical diagnosis and found surgery under local anaesthetic to be a very effective treatment.