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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Pain as the only manifestation of internal carotid artery dissection.

Internal carotid artery dissection is a major cause of ischemic stroke in the young. Pain is the leading symptom and is associated with other focal signs such as Horner's syndrome and painful tinnitus or with signs of cerebral or retinal ischemia. We report two patients with angiographically confirmed extracranial internal carotid artery dissection presenting with cephalic pain as the only manifestation. The first patient had a diffuse headache and a latero-cervical pain lasting for 12 days, reminiscent of carotidynia. The second patient experienced an exploding headache suggestive of subarachnoid hemorrhage, which was ruled out by computed tomography of the head and cerebrospinal fluid study. These patients demonstrate that recognition of carotid artery dissection as a cause of carotidynia and headache suggestive of subarachnoid hemorrhage may permit an earlier diagnosis and possibly the prevention of a stroke through the use of anticoagulation.

Adult↗

Whiplash injury associated with acute bilateral internal carotid arterial dissection.

Internal carotid arterial occlusion, being a rare occurrence following whiplash injury, is frequently missed. We report an unusual case of a 41-year-old woman driver who was involved in a head-on collision with a truck. On admission she was noted to have sustained closed head and neck trauma with a severe whiplash injury and lower limb paraparesis. Subsequent investigations showed a right parietal lobe infarct and bilateral internal carotid arterial dissection. We conclude that acute whiplash injury can result in bilateral internal carotid arterial dissection and that clinicians treating these patients should be aware of this complication.

Acute Disease↗

Traumatic internal carotid artery dissection.

Traumatic internal carotid artery dissection is a serious condition that may cause ischemic stroke in young patients. It has been under-diagnosed in the past. We present three cases of traumatic internal carotid artery dissection. The clinical manifestations include hemicrania, hemiparesis, partial Horner's syndrome and cranial nerve palsy. Diagnosis is with carotid color Doppler ultrasound, CT angiography of the neck and conventional angiography. The outcome may be poor with hemiparesis, persistent vegetative state and death. We review the literature and discuss the clinical presentation, diagnosis, grading and treatment choices for traumatic internal carotid artery dissection and stroke.

Adult↗

Bilateral internal carotid artery dissection due to trivial trauma.

Internal carotid artery dissection (ICAD) is a known cause of unilateral headache and focal cerebral ischemic symptoms. Other symptoms include oculosympathetic paresis, facial pain, neck pain, subjective carotid bruits, and cranial nerve deficits. Traumatic dissection has an obvious precipitating incident preceding the neurologic or visual symptoms. An ICAD that occurs spontaneously or from trivial trauma usually lacks an obvious incident and thus requires awareness of its possibility for accurate detection and treatment. Dissections arise from a defect in the internal elastic lamina allowing penetration of blood into the arterial wall. Despite its low incidence, ICAD must be considered in young to middle-aged patients who present with headache and transient cerebral or retinal ischemic symptoms. This report describes a patient who had bilateral internal carotid artery dissections following trivial trauma. The etiologies, clinical manifestations, diagnostic modalities, treatment options, and outcomes of ICAD are discussed.

Adult↗

Delayed occlusion after internal carotid artery dissection under heparin.

Internal carotid artery dissection (ICAD) is a frequent etiology of stroke in the young. Immediate anticoagulation with unfractionated heparin is the most frequent treatment. A theoretical side effect of unfractionated heparin is an increase in the intramural hematoma resulting in hemodynamic cerebral infarction. We studied 20 patients with ICAD. All patients were immediately treated with unfractionated heparin. Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) ratios were measured twice daily. We prospectively monitored the course of ICAD with repeated ultrasound in hospital. Unexpectedly, delayed ICA occlusion was noted in 5 patients under treatment. One of these developed a watershed infarct. We then analyzed the aPTT ratios over the first 6 days after diagnosis. Patients with delayed occlusion had significantly higher aPTT ratios (2.6 +/- 0.4 vs. 2.0 +/- 0.5, p < 0.05). Within the limits of a partially retrospective design, our study seems to support the notion that unfractionated heparin can increase the intramural hematoma. Our findings further justify a randomized clinical trial to resolve the anticoagulant/antiplatelet debate.

Adult↗

Bilateral spontaneous carotid artery dissection.

Bilateral internal carotid artery dissections have been reported, but spontaneous bilateral dissections are rare. Internal carotid artery dissection can present with a spectrum of symptoms ranging from headache to completed stroke. Two cases of spontaneous bilateral carotid artery dissection are presented, one with headache and minimal symptoms and the other with a stroke syndrome. No cause could be found in either case, making the dissections completely spontaneous. Bilateral internal carotid artery dissection (ICAD) should be considered in young patients with unexplained head and neck pain with or without focal neurological symptoms and signs. The increasing availability of imaging would sustain the higher index of suspicion.

Adult↗

Noninvasive monitoring of internal carotid artery dissection.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Internal carotid artery dissection has increasingly been reported as a cause of transient ischemic attack or stroke. However, scarce data exist on the natural history of the arterial lesions and the temporal profile of recanalization. METHODS: We followed 48 patients with 50 angiographically confirmed internal carotid artery dissections by sequential duplex Doppler studies in 2- to 4-day intervals during the first weeks after the onset of symptoms and after 4 weeks in 1- to 2-month intervals for up to 2 years. We assessed sonographic features as well as the frequency and time course of resolution. RESULTS: Initial Doppler findings were abnormal in all patients, most of whom (68%) presented with a characteristic bidirectional high-resistance Doppler signal in the internal carotid artery. Gradual recanalization was found in 68% of the dissections after an average interval of 51 days. Changes of Doppler flow patterns in follow-up studies and features of intra-arterial angiography correlated with the development of internal carotid artery dissection and mirrored the recanalization process. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that Doppler sonography provides early recognition of internal carotid artery dissection and monitoring of its resolution. Thus, ultrasound studies may guide clinical decisions according to the development of the dissection.

Adolescent↗

Moyamoya disease mimicking a spontaneous internal carotid artery dissection on Doppler ultrasound.

Moyamoya disease and spontaneous internal carotid artery dissections are rare conditions, but both tend to affect young adults with potentially devastating consequences. A 43-year-old non-Japanese patient presented with neurological symptoms, which, following carotid Doppler ultrasound and angiography, was labelled as being due to a spontaneous internal carotid artery dissection. Repeat imaging at 3 months showed normalisation of the carotid Doppler findings which coincided with the formation of "moyamoya" vessels on the angiogram. This case report illustrates the changes on carotid ultrasound in early moyamoya disease which may mimic the appearances of an internal carotid artery dissection and demonstrates the change of the spectral Doppler waveform that occurs with the formation of new vessels at the base of the brain.

Adult↗

[CT scanning in the diagnosis of internal carotid artery dissection].

Dissection of the internal carotid artery is becoming more frequently recognized as a cause of neurological deficits or stoke in younger adults. A dissection is diagnosed in relation to minor often primarily unrecognized trauma to the neck and the typical clinical features seen with dissection are headache, Horner's syndrome and symptoms of focal brain ischaemia. Treatment, i.e. anti-coagulant therapy, is initiated to avoid thrombosis or recurrent embolism from the damaged arterial wall. The prognosis is generally good. The diagnosis of carotid dissection can be confirmed with ultrasound-duplex-scanning, conventional angiography or magnetic resonance imaging/angiography. In this paper two cases are reported in which computed tomography (CT-scanning) with intravenous contrast enhancement has been a valuable diagnostic tool in the diagnosis of this entity.

Adult↗

Long-term results of covered stent repair of internal carotid artery dissections.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic and spontaneous dissections of internal carotid arteries (ICA) are rare conditions. So far, these pathologies are primarily treated conservatively, surgical revascularization being an option only after recurrent thromboembolic neurologic episodes or continuous aneurysm growth. Successful endovascular treatment strategies with covered stents have been reported in patients with ICA dissections. However, no long-term results are published so far. Herein, we report our experience of a combined conventional and endovascular repair of ICA dissections under reversed flow and their respective long-term results. METHODS: In a prospective evaluation of clinical and morphologic outcome of 6 patients with carotid artery dissections, 2 patients were treated for continuous aneurysm growth and 4 patients for high-grade ICA stenoses with recurrent thromboembolic episodes during a 6-month follow-up period. A 6-mm polytetrafluoroethylene Hemobahn endoprosthesis was inserted under reversed flow of the internal carotid artery. RESULTS: No perioperative strokes were observed; one TIA occurred, lasting less than 3 hours; no peripheral cranial nerve injuries or deaths were observed. No occlusions, hemodynamically significant stenosis, or recurrent neurologic symptoms were seen during follow-up, which ranged from 6 to 54 months (mean, 38.3 months). CONCLUSION: Open endovascular repair of the ICA of symptomatic patients with dissections with a 6-mm covered endoprosthesis is a safe alternative to conventional surgery, with excellent long-term patency.

Adult↗

Bilateral traumatic internal carotid artery dissections: case report.

Bilateral internal carotid artery dissections after blunt cervicofacial trauma are rare, with 16 cases being previously published. Management is presumed to be an extension of the dominant therapy for unilateral dissection, that being anticoagulant therapy; however, bilateral stenoses engender questions of threat to total cerebral blood flow. We herein present a patient who suffered bilateral type B dissections and who then had progression of the process on anticoagulant therapy, resulting in an unusual carotid reconstruction.

Adult↗

Ruptured dissecting aneurysm of the vertebral artery associated with occlusive internal carotid artery dissection--case report.

A 64-year-old male presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage. Angiography showed a dissecting aneurysm of the right vertebral artery (VA), and severe stenosis of the right internal carotid artery (ICA). He was treated conservatively in the early stage. Repeat angiography showed enlargement of the dissecting aneurysm of the VA and partial resolution of the stenosis of the right ICA. Intraaneurysmal coil embolization with proximal coil occlusion was performed following a balloon occlusion test. The postoperative course was uneventful. Based on the neuroradiological findings, the stenotic lesion of the right ICA was considered to be due to dissection. Analysis of serial changes in dissecting lesions in the craniocervical arteries is important for the correct choice of treatment, especially in patients with multi-vessel dissections. The surgical options should be determined on an individual basis.

Aneurysm, Ruptured↗

Central retinal artery occlusion associated with head or neck pain revealing spontaneous internal carotid artery dissection.

PURPOSE: To report two cases of head or neck pain and central retinal artery occlusion associated with spontaneous dissection of the ipsilateral internal carotid artery. METHODS: Case reports. RESULTS: We describe two cases of sudden visual loss caused by central retinal artery occlusion. Both cases were preceded by ipsilateral headaches or neck pain and tinnitus. The patient had no other neurological signs or history of trauma. In both cases, cerebral angiography revealed ipsilateral internal carotid artery dissection. CONCLUSION: Ipsilateral headache or neck pain with tinnitus preceding central retinal artery occlusion is highly suggestive of internal carotid artery dissection. Early diagnosis and treatment may reduce the risk of hemispheric stroke.

Adult↗

Anticoagulation and microembolus detection in a case of internal carotid artery dissection.

BACKGROUND: Microembolic signals (MES) have been demonstrated by transcranial Doppler (TCD) in cases of internal carotid artery dissection. The influence of treatment on MES in arterial dissection is uncertain. The authors here present a case of internal carotid artery dissection in which we detected a reduction of MES after the initiation of intravenous heparin. METHODS: A 37-year-old woman developed a right temporal headache 10 days prior to admission. This was followed by episodes of left arm numbness and weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a right frontal and deep subcortical ischemic infarct. Catheter angiography confirmed a right internal carotid artery dissection with intracranial extension. She was then monitored with TCD for MES before and after intravenous heparin was started. RESULTS: The first TCD, performed 12 days after symptom onset, showed 39 MES during 60 minutes of insonation of the right middle cerebral artery. Treatment with intravenous heparin resulted in a decline in MES by 50% after 96 hours. This decline continued and no further MES were detected after 11 days of anticoagulation. CONCLUSION: The authors were able to demonstrate a decline of MES with heparin anticoagulation in a case of internal carotid artery dissection.

Adult↗

Multiple cranial neuropathy as a feature of internal carotid artery dissection.

The traditional presentation of spontaneous internal carotid artery dissection includes ipsilateral hemicranial headache, oculosympathetic paresis, and contralateral focal cerebral ischemic deficits. However, we describe two cases with multiple cranial nerve involvement ipsilateral to the dissection as the principal feature. The first patient, a 36-year-old man, had involvement of the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th cranial nerves. The second case was a 53-year-old man with abnormalities of the 5th, 7th, 9th, 10th, and 12th cranial nerves. In both, magnetic resonance imaging revealed a ring-like area of abnormal signal intensity surrounding the carotid artery at the skull base. Carotid angiography was consistent with the suggestion of dissection on the magnetic resonance studies in both cases. The patients recovered without anticoagulation. Internal carotid artery dissection may thus present with multiple cranial nerve palsies, which could be mistaken for an infiltrating tumor of the skull base. Magnetic resonance imaging is useful in identifying the condition.

Adult↗

Stent-coil treatment of a distal internal carotid artery dissecting pseudoaneurysm on a redundant loop by use of a flexible, dedicated nitinol intracranial stent.

Treatment of dissecting pseudoaneurysms of the distal cervical internal carotid artery with preservation of the parent artery by using stents or coils has become routine. Tortuosity remains a significant obstacle to successful endovascular treatment in some cases. We report the use of a stent-coil technique to treat a nonhealing dissecting pseudoaneurysm and associated stenosis with anatomic preservation of a redundant loop involving the stented arterial segment. This was accomplished by using a Neuroform dedicated intracranial stent.

Adult↗

Facial nerve palsy secondary to internal carotid artery dissection.

We report facial palsy as the sole cranial neuropathy complicating an ipsilateral internal carotid artery dissection. A previously healthy 44-year-old man developed retro-orbital and temporal headache with associated nausea while engaged in modest physical exercise. On the following morning he noticed a left ptosis and miotic pupil. One week later he woke with a left facial weakness. On the same day he had a 90-minute episode of expressive dysphasia. Magnetic resonance imaging and angiography demonstrated left internal carotid artery dissection. The temporal association between our patient's facial nerve palsy and typical features of spontaneous internal carotid artery dissection suggests a common aetiology. We suggest that involvement of the VII cranial nerve in isolation followed disruption of an anomalous nutrient artery. The delay in clinical manifestation may imply extension of the dissection.

Adult↗

[Traumatic internal carotid artery dissection associated with triathlon: a rare differential diagnosis].

Most cervical artery dissections occur spontaneously, but traumatic mechanisms can occasionally be identified. Traumatic internal carotid artery dissection has been attributed with several sports, but there are no reports of its occurrence in thriathlon. We report the case of a 63-year-old semi-professional triathlete, who noticed right-sided neck pain and parietooccipital headache after a triathlon competition. Neurological examination revealed an incomplete right Horner's syndrome. MRI and MR-angiography demonstrated a right-sided internal carotid artery dissection with segmental loss of flow-signal and a mural haematoma in the vessel wall. In this case two pathophysiological mechanisms may be considered. Our patient reported receiving several blows to the neck in a congested 50-metre pool during the triathlon swimming stage. Furthermore, the hyperextended position of the neck during the subsequent cycling stage may have contributed, to a large extent, to the arterial dissection. The risk factors, presenting symptoms, diagnosis of internal carotid artery dissection are reviewed.

Athletic Injuries↗