Background
The purpose of this study was to examine outcomes of a patient cohort undergoing intervention for carotid blowout syndrome (CBS) associated with head and neck cancer.
Methods
Patients with head and neck cancer who presented with carotid-distribution bleeding from 2000-2014 were identified in the medical record. Primary outcomes were short and mid-term mortality and recurrent bleeding. Standard statistical methods and survival analysis were used to analyze study population characteristics and outcomes.
Results
Thirty-seven patients were included in the study. The mean age was 60.1±11.4 (74% male). All malignancies were squamous cell type, stage IV, in a variety of primary locations: 32% oral cavity, 24% larynx, 16% superficial neck, with the remainder in the oro, naso, and hypopharynx. 51% of bleeds were of common carotid, 29% external carotid, and 19% internal carotid origin. 68% presented with acute hemorrhage, 24% with impending bleed, and 8% with threatened bleed. All patients underwent intervention: 38% received endovascular coil embolization, 30% stent grafts, 22% surgical ligation, and 10% primary vessel repair or bypass grafting. 10.8% of patients had perioperative stroke; other major complications were rare. Sixteen recurrent bleeding episodes involving 12 arteries occurred in 11 patients (29.73%). Median rebleeding time was seven days (IQR 6-49). Estimated recurrent bleeding risk at 30-days and 6 months was 24% and 34% respectively. 91.9% of patients survived to hospital discharge. 90-day and 1-year estimated survival was 60.9% and 36.6% respectively.
Conclusions
CBS associated with head and neck cancer carries poor mid- and long-term prognoses; however, mortality may be related more to the advanced stage of disease rather than carotid involvement or associated intervention. Both surgical and endovascular approaches may be efficacious in cases of acute hemorrhage but carry a significant risk of periprocedural stroke and recurrent bleeding.