Prophylactic placement of a covered nitinol stent to prevent carotid blowout in a patient with supraclavicular lymph node metastasis from esophageal cancer

Enlargement of primary tumor and metastatic lymph nodes in patients with head and neck cancer can be progressive and invade the surrounding vessels despite intensive treatment. Carotid blowout (CBS) tends to occur in these patients, and prompt treatment is required. Surgical management of carotid blowout is technically troublesome because exploration and repair of the previously irradiated or tumor-invaded field are difficult. Endovascular therapy with stent deployment is a good alternative to surgery. Even with such interventional procedures as stent grafting, it is sometimes difficult to obtain favorable outcomes in end-stage patients with poor general conditions. The prophylactic placement of a covered nitinol stent was performed to prevent carotid blowout in a patient with supraclavicular lymph node metastasis from esophageal cancer, and fatal bleeding due to carotid blowout was avoided. The usefulness of the prophylactic placement of a covered nitinol stent for preventing carotid blowout in an end-stage patient is presented.