Carotid artery endoscopy (autopsy)

Intra-arterial endoscopy of the common carotid artery and its bifurcation was accomplished in 100 random autopsy cases. Resulting still photographs and movies reveal fatty dots and streaks, elevated gelatinous plaques, mural thrombi, thrombosis, ulcerations and ulcers with or without organizing thrombi, boulder and stalagmite-shaped lesions, bridging and elevated plaques in the carotid artery. These findings suggest possible explanations for some surgical and angiographic complications, bruits, transient ischemic attacks or strokes following reportedly normal carotid angiograms. Endoscopy aids in understanding the theories of inception, progression and sequelae of atherosclerosis,the role of risk factors, trauma and hemodynamics.