Post-tonsillectomy pseudoaneurysm of the linguofacial trunk: An ENT surgeon's nightmare

Abstract

We present the case of a 3.5-year-old girl who experienced 4 episodes of severe, life-threatening, delayed post-tonsillectomy bleedings. The bleedings were caused by a pseudoaneurysm of the right linguofacial trunk. All 4 episodes had a common clinical presentation with profuse life-threatening bleedings followed by spontaneous cessations. The pseudoaneurysm was diagnosed on thirteenth postoperative day by angiography and treated successfully by endovascular coil placement. There are only a few cases reported in the literature. © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.