Carotid artery dissection with renal infarcts. Two cases

Clinical features of carotid artery dissection include ipsilateral local signs, contralateral ischemic stroke, or both. We observed two patients in whom these features were associated with renal infarcts.

A 57-year-old woman had painful Horner's syndrome caused by a right internal carotid artery dissection. On days 3 and 4 she had acute abdominal pain, first on the right side and later on the left. The computed tomographic (CT) scan showed a left renal infarct. No aortic dissection or cardiac source of embolism was found. Transesophageal echocardiography showed a mild dystrophy of the ascending aorta and of the mitral valve. Cerebral angiography showed irregularities of the V3 segment of the left vertebral artery compatible with fibromuscular dysplasia. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 100 mm/h, and she complained of intense fatigue. She fully recovered within 3 months. A 53-year-old man had sudden severe abdominal pain followed by headache and difficulty in swallowing. He had 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th cranial nerve involvement on both sides due to bilateral internal carotid artery dissections and pseudoaneurysms. CT scan showed a left renal infarct. Angiography showed extensive signs of fibromuscular dysplasia involving carotid, vertebral, renal, iliac, and mesenteric arteries as well as a dissection of the left renal artery. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 65 mm/h, and he complained of severe fatigue. His neurological signs returned to normal in 6 months.

Renal infarct due to renal artery dissection may occur together with cerebral artery dissection. Acute abdominal pain, increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and intense fatigue are the warning symptoms.