Summary
We studied by angiography 80 patients within 6 hours from the onset of symptoms of supratentorial ischaemic stroke. Occlusion of the internal carotid artery in the extracranial segment was found in 19 patients, at the bifurcation in 11 and at the cervical level in 8.
While in the chronic phase of stroke, internal carotid artery occlusion in the cervical segment is an uncommon angiographic finding, we found a high frequency of occlusion at this level (8 out of 19) in our patients.
Cervical segment occlusion may be due to a dissecting aneurysm or to an intracranial carotid artery occlusion (embolic or atherothrombotic) with subsequent migration of the clot down to this level. A direct embolic occlusion may be postulated as well.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bradac GB, Kaernbach A, Bolk-Weischedel Det al (1981) Spontaneous dissecting aneurysm of cervical cerebral arteries. Neuroradiology 21: 149–154
Caplan LR, Wolpert SM (1987) Conventional cerebral angiography in occlusive cerebrovascular disease. In: Cerebral blood flow: physiological and clinical aspects. McGraw-Hill, pp 356–384
Ehrenfeld WK, Wylie EJ (1976) Spontaneous dissection of the internal carotid artery. Arch Surg 111: 1294–1301
Gabrielsen TO, Seeger JF, Knake JE, Burke BP, Stiwill EW (1981) The nearly occluded internal carotid artery: a diagnostic trap. Radiology 138: 611–618
Houser OW, Mockri B, Sundt TM, Baker HL, Reese DF (1984) Spontaneous cervical cephalic arterial dissection and its residuum: angiographic spectrum. AJNR 5: 27–34
Maiuri F, Gallicchio B, Gangemi M, Briganti F, Iaconetta G, Corriero G (1988) Fibromuscular dysplasia of the carotid arteries. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 90: 57–60
Mizutami T, Goldberg HI, Parr J, Harper C, Thompson CJ (1982) Cerebral dissecting aneurysm and intimal fibroelastic thickening of cerebral arteries. J Neurosurg 56: 571–576
Mokri B, Piepgras DG, Houser OW (1988) Traumatic dissections of the extracranial internal carotid artery. J Neurosurg 68: 189–197
Mokri B, Sundt TM, Houser OW, Piepgras DG (1986) Spontaneous dissection of the cervical internal carotid artery. Ann Neurol 19: 126–138
Sekhar LN, Heros RC, Lotz PR, Rosenbaum AE (1980) Atheromatous pseudo-occlusion of the internal carotid artery. J Neurosurg 52: 782–789
Sellier N, Chiras J, Benhamou M, Bories J (1983) Spontaneous dissection of the internal carotid artery: clinical, radiological and evolutive features. A study of 46 cases. J Neuroradiol 10: 243–259
Silverstain A (1965) Arteriography of stroke. II. Factors relating to the normal angiogram. Arch Neurol (Chicago) 13: 441–446
Torvik A, Jorgensen L (1964) Trombotic and embolic occlusion of the carotid arteries in autopsy material. Part I. Prevalence, location and associated disease. J Neurol Sci 1: 24–39
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work has been partly supported by “Italian National Research Council” grant n. 86.01655.56 and by a grant from the M.P.I.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bozzao, L., Fantozzi, L.M., Bastianello, S. et al. Occlusion of the extracranial internal carotid artery in the acute stroke; angiographic findings within 6 hours. Acta neurochir 100, 39–42 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01405271
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01405271