Emboli stroke following migration of carotid foreign body: A case report

Foreign body embolization can cause intracranial artery occlusion with ischemic stroke. Reported etiologies include post cerebrovascular interventions, migration of esophageal foreign body and neck trauma. We reported a case with punctured wound at left neck, X-ray and computed tomography revealed a foreign body located in the carotid region. The patient eventually developed stroke symptoms in the next day after operation. Non-contrast brain Computer tomography at that time revealed that porcelain fragment located at the suprasellar area, and infarction of the left anterior basal ganglion. Our patient is the first reported case having an embolic stroke secondary to distal migration of a foreign body from the carotid artery after neck trauma. We call attention to this rare neurologic complication of neck trauma with foreign body retention. Appropriate and prompt identification of concurrent vascular injuries with retention of foreign body is strongly advised in neck trauma patients.