Extensive bone erosion caused by pseudotumoral aneurysm growth

Abstract Carotid ophthalmic aneurysms constitute 0.9–6.5% of the aneurysms of the ICA with up to 20% of the cases presenting with visual symptoms. We report a case of an adult woman, presented with chronic headaches and protracted visual alterations progressing to left eye amaurosis. Neuroradiological exams, revealed a giant partially thrombosed carotid ophthalmic aneurysm extending anteriorly, causing pseudotumoral spheno-orbital bone erosion. The patient underwent surgical clipping, evacuation of the thrombotic mass and decompression of the optic pathways with rapid recovery of the vision. This unusual case, contributes to the available body of evidence on aneurysms growth.