[Case of bilateral common carotid artery dissections due to localized dissection of the aortic arch]

We report a case of a 56-year-old man who had a localized dissection of the aortic arch presenting with left conjugate deviation, right homonymous hemianopsia, and right hemiparesis. Diffusion-weighted MRI revealed multiple fresh cerebral infarctions of the left cerebral hemisphere and the bilateral cerebellar hemispheres. The patient did not complain of chest pain, but thoracic computed tomography (CT) and three-dimensional CT angiography showed a localized dissection of the aortic arch at the bases of the brachiocephalic artery and left common carotid artery (CCA). He was diagnosed with embolic cerebral infarctions due to aortic dissection and treated with heparin and edaravone. However, without progressive symptoms and enlargement of the dissected aneurysm, we continued to follow the wait-and-scan policy for the aortic dissection. Neurological signs and symptoms gradually improved during his admission. The pseudolumen had yet to close and there has been no change in size and shape of the dissected aneurysm for about one year. It is necessary to carefully follow up the case and to keep in mind cerebral infarctions caused by aortic dissection.