Whiplash injury associated with acute bilateral internal carotid arterial dissection

Internal carotid arterial occlusion, being a rare occurrence following whiplash injury, is frequently missed. We report an unusual case of a 41-year-old woman driver who was involved in a head-on collision with a truck. On admission she was noted to have sustained closed head and neck trauma with a severe whiplash injury and lower limb paraparesis. Subsequent investigations showed a right parietal lobe infarct and bilateral internal carotid arterial dissection. We conclude that acute whiplash injury can result in bilateral internal carotid arterial dissection and that clinicians treating these patients should be aware of this complication.