Internal carotid artery redundancy is significantly associated with dissection

Area of Science:

• Vascular Neurology
• Cerebrovascular Disease
• Anatomical Variations

Background:

• Redundant internal carotid arteries (ICAs) are implicated in surgical risks and stroke.
• A clear link between ICA redundancy and spontaneous dissection was not previously established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between internal carotid artery redundancy and spontaneous carotid artery dissection.
• To determine if ICA redundancy is a risk factor for stroke and dissection.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of stroke/TIA patients (1986-1992) for spontaneous carotid artery dissection.
• Analysis of 108 percutaneous cerebral arteriograms for ICA redundancies.

Main Results:

• 62% of patients with spontaneous dissection had redundant ICAs.
• Significantly higher prevalence of bilateral ICA redundancy in dissection patients (P = .0019).
• Redundant ICAs were found in 19% of patients without dissection.

Conclusions:

• A significant correlation exists between ICA redundancy and spontaneous dissection.
• Bilateral ICA redundancy is a particularly strong indicator of dissection risk.