scholarly journals Spontaneous bilateral internal carotid and vertebral artery dissections with dominant-hemisphere circulation maintained by external carotid artery–ophthalmic artery anastomoses

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. E6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle Golub ◽  
Lizbeth Hu ◽  
Siddhant Dogra ◽  
Jose Torres ◽  
Maksim Shapiro

Spontaneous cervical artery dissection (sCAD) is a major cause of stroke in young adults. Multiple sCAD is a rarer, more poorly understood presentation of sCAD that has been increasingly attributed to cervical trauma such as spinal manipulation or genetic polymorphisms in extracellular matrix components. The authors present the case of a 49-year-old, otherwise healthy woman, who over the course of 2 weeks developed progressive, hemodynamically significant, bilateral internal carotid artery and vertebral artery dissections. Collateral response involved extensive external carotid artery–internal carotid artery anastomoses via the ophthalmic artery, which were instrumental in maintaining perfusion because circle of Willis and leptomeningeal anastomotic responses were hampered by the dissection burden in the corresponding collateral vessels. Endovascular intervention by placement of Pipeline embolization devices and Atlas stents in bilateral internal carotid arteries was successfully performed. No syndromic or systemic etiology was discovered during a thorough workup.

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 551-555 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaurav Jindal ◽  
Luciano Giacon ◽  
Moronke Iyoha ◽  
Timothy Miller ◽  
Francois Aldrich ◽  
...  

Purpose Advancements in catheter technology have allowed for greater flexibility and trackability. We report 265 consecutive, single-center neurointerventional cases using the Navien guide catheter. Materials and methods Retrospective analysis was performed of consecutive intracranial endovascular procedures utilizing the Navien catheter. Data collected included procedure type, catheters, guide catheter position, cervical access artery tortuosity grade and complications. Results The 5 French catheter was used in 130 cases. The 6 French catheter was used in 135 cases. Access was via the internal carotid artery in 204, external carotid artery in 10, and vertebral artery in 51 cases. Catheter tip position was in the petrous segment of the internal carotid artery in 36.6% (97/265), distal cervical internal carotid artery in 13.9% (37/265), cavernous internal carotid artery in 10.2% (27/265), proximal or mid cervical internal carotid artery in 5.6% (15/265), supraclinoid internal carotid artery in 0.8% (2/265), and intradural vertebral artery in 0.8% (2/265) of cases. Catheter position was not determined in 18.9% (50/265) of cases. Proximal vessel tortuosity (grade B or C) was present in 98 cases (37%), and the catheter was tracked distal to the tortuosity in 93% (91/98) of these cases. The overall success rate without catheter complication was 97% (258/265). The Navien was replaced by another catheter in 1.9% (5/265) of cases. There was one cervical artery dissection (0.4%) and one severe vasospasm (0.4%) necessitating Navien removal. Conclusions The Navien guide catheter provided distal access support for neuroendovascular interventions in nearly all cases, including cases with proximal artery tortuosity, with a low rate of catheter-related complications.


Author(s):  
David Jordan ◽  
Louise Mawn ◽  
Richard L. Anderson

The anatomy of the orbital vascular bed is complex, with tremendous individual variation. The main arterial supply to the orbit is from the ophthalmic artery, a branch of the internal carotid artery. The external carotid artery normally contributes only to a small extent. However, there are a number of orbital branches of the ophthalmic artery that anastomose with adjacent branches from the external carotid artery, creating important anastomotic communications between the internal and external carotid arterial systems. The venous drainage of the orbit occurs mainly via two ophthalmic veins (superior and inferior) that extend to the cavernous sinus, but there are also connections with the pterygoid plexus of veins, as well as some more anteriorly through the angular vein and the infraorbital vein to the facial vein. A working knowledge of the orbital vasculature and lymphatic systems is important during orbital, extraocular, or ocular surgery. Knowing the anatomy of the blood supply helps one avoid injury to the arteries and veins during operative procedures within the orbit or the eyelid. Inadvertent injury to the vasculature not only distorts the anatomy and disrupts a landmark but also prolongs the surgery and might compromise blood flow to an important orbital or ocular structure. Upon entering the cranium, the internal carotid artery passes through the petrous portion of the temporal bone in the carotid canal and enters the cavernous sinus and middle cranial fossa through the superior part of the forame lacerum . It proceeds forward in the cavernous sinus with the abducens nerve along its side. There it is surrounded by sympathetic nerve fibers (the carotid plexus ) derived from the superior cervical ganglion. It then makes an upward S-shaped turn to form the carotid siphon , passing just medial to the oculomotor, trochlear, and ophthalmic nerves (V1). After turning superiorly in the anterior cavernous sinus, the carotid artery perforates the dura at the medial aspect of the anterior clinoid process and turns posteriorly, inferior to the optic nerve.


2009 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-35
Author(s):  
Esther Collado ◽  
Megan Hodge ◽  
Charles McCollum ◽  
George Noon ◽  
Ruth L. Bush ◽  
...  

Introduction Moyamoya disease is a rare and progressive condition with poor long-term prognosis. A meticulous evaluation during an extracranial carotid duplex exam, with attention to subtle changes in anatomy and Doppler signals, can alert the sonographer to pathology in the intracranial circulation, which may suggest this diagnosis. Case Report A 45-year-old woman presented to our vascular lab with an episode of slurred speech, right arm weakness, right-sided numbness, and generalized weakness that lasted 15 – 20 min, with total resolution of symptoms. A carotid duplex examination was ordered and demonstrated no evidence of extracranial carotid disease; however, bilaterally the external carotid artery was larger in size than the internal carotid artery, multiple prominent external carotid artery branches were noted, the internal carotid artery and vertebral artery Doppler signals demonstrated low-resistance waveforms with high diastolic flow velocity, and the left vertebral artery was enlarged. Magnetic resonance imaging with angiography demonstrated multiple intracranial abnormalities, and conventional angiography was compatible with Moyamoya disease. A superficial temporal artery-to-middle cerebral artery bypass was performed with an uneventful postoperative course and no recurrence of symptoms. Conclusions Subtle changes in anatomy and Doppler signals observed during an extracranial carotid duplex examination can be important indicators of pathology in a location that is not under direct visualization and interrogation. It is important for the sonographer to note these changes and report them to the physician for further evaluation by more direct methods of testing. This case provides an example of the use of such indirect sonographic evidence.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. E562-E563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giriraj K. Sharma ◽  
Vivek R. Deshmukh ◽  
Felipe C. Albuquerque ◽  
Thomas R. Wolf ◽  
Cameron G. McDougall

Abstract OBJECTIVE A patient with cervical internal carotid artery (ICA) dissection presented with visual loss and a mydriatic pupil that resolved after angioplasty and stenting. CLINICAL PRESENTATION A 49-year-old woman presented with a unilateral dilated tonic pupil and transient monocular visual loss and subsequently developed speech disturbance. Angiography revealed a left cervical ICA dissection with significant luminal narrowing. The ophthalmic artery filled retrograde through external carotid artery branches and reconstituted the supraclinoid ICA. Computed tomographic perfusion showed significant hypoperfusion of the left hemisphere. Magnetic resonance imaging showed punctate boundary zone infarcts. INTERVENTION The patient experienced pressure-dependent left hemispheric transient ischemic attacks and pressure-dependent ocular findings despite anticoagulation. She underwent uncomplicated left ICA angioplasty and stenting. The flow through the ophthalmic artery became anterograde. The tonic pupil returned to symmetry with the contralateral pupil, and the patient's symptoms resolved completely. CONCLUSION Cervical ICA dissection can manifest with a tonic mydriatic pupil. Treatment with angioplasty and stenting of the dissected segment can restore flow and resolve the pupillary abnormality. A pathophysiological mechanism for the mydriasis is proposed.


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