Craniocervical artery dissection
Solbakken, T.; Moen, G.; Tysnes, O-Bjørn.
Tidsskrift for den Norske Laegeforening Tidsskrift for Praktisk Medicin Ny Raekke 122(24): 2355-2357
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-2001 PMID: 12448248 Document Number: 548299
In recent years, new radiographic diagnostics have increased our knowledge about dissection of the carotid and vertebral arteries as a cause of stroke, probably an underdiagnosed condition. Carotid dissection is now considered one of the most frequent aetiologies of ischaemic stroke in patients less than 50 years of age and it accounts for 20% of all cases under the age of 30. In this paper we describe clinical course and investigations in four patients who had dissection of the precerebral arteries. Three patients had carotid artery dissection, one vertebral artery dissection. Three patients had ischaemic symptoms. One patient had symptoms following physiotherapy to the neck. Patients with craniocervical arterial dissection should be investigated with ultrasound techniques and MRI or CT; antiplatelet agents or anticoagulation therapy should be considered.