Rupture of the thyrocervical trunk aneurysm into the thoracic cavity does not occur very often. It is an urgent condition due to hemorrhagic shock by massive hemothorax with potentially fatal consequences. Pregnancy and puerperium are additional risk factors for a rupture of the thyrocervical trunk aneurysm in patients with neurofibromatosis and aneurysms. This is the first case of thyrocervical trunk aneurysm rupture after a Cesarean section in a patient with neurofibromatosis type I noted down in the literature. The patient, a 33-year-old woman with neurofibromatosis type I, three days after an already performed Cesarean section had acute pain in the left area of the neck, swelling, and a hematoma that progressed rapidly to respiratory distress, hemothorax, and hemorrhagic shock. Emergency endotracheal intubation was performed for airway control. Urgent computer tomography angiography procedure showed extracranial artery, thyrocervical trunk aneurysm rupture, and vertebral aneurysm without rupture. The patient was urgently and successfully treated by endovascular coil embolization of a ruptured thyrocervical trunk aneurysm and subsequently thoracic drainage for massive hemothorax. Postoperatively, her left neck pain decreased, after which she had no further neurologic deficits. The patient was discharged 10 days later. Thyrocervical trunk aneurysm rupture is a rare condition with a potential outcome of death which requires urgent intervention. Endovascular coil embolization is a minimally invasive, safe, and efficient treatment for patients with rupture of thyrocervical trunk aneurysm and following comorbidities.
Introduction: Primary extracranial vertebral artery aneurysms are sporadic in the general population. They are uncommon in individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1. During pregnancy or in the puerperium, the risk of aneurysm rupture in individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1 and extracranial aneurysms is elevated. Rupture of a vertebral artery aneurysm is an emergency condition and can be fatal. Case presentation: We present the case of a 33-year-old woman in the puerperium with neurofibromatosis type 1 who had a vertebral symptomatic artery aneurysm. During a previous hospitalization, two months before the treatment of the vertebral aneurysm, a same-sided aneurysm of the thyrocervical trunk was successfully treated with endovascular coiling because of aneurysm rupture. In this case report, the vertebral artery aneurysm was successfully managed using a flow diverter stent graft. Conclusions: This is the first reported case of a successfully treated symptomatic vertebral artery aneurysm with a flow diverter stent graft in a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1 during the early puerperium. Endovascular treatment with a stent graft is a minimally invasive, safe, and effective treatment for patients with vertebral artery aneurysms. Early diagnosis of non-ruptured vertebral artery aneurysms is a crucial as well as appropriate treatment, which should be undertaken in a timely manner to prevent serious complications or a fatal outcome.