Aneurysms of the carotid artery in the neck are relatively uncommon, being less frequent in occurrence than aneurysms of the aorta or the popliteal artery. The trunk of the common carotid and its bifurcation are the sites most frequently involved, while aneurysms of the internal and external carotid branches are quite rare.1,2 Aneurysms of the intracranial portion of the internal carotid are rather common but are not the subject of this paper. Carotid aneurysms, like other aneurysms, are either traumatic or spontaneous, the etiology of the latter group being usually arteriosclerosis or syphilis.
The management of cervical carotid aneurysms in the past has been variable and not entirely satisfactory, as occasional reports in the literature show. The exact surgical treatment has depended upon the location of the aneurysm, its size, the severity of symptoms, and the general state of the patient. In all cases, however, the basic problem has