Clinical and Ultrasonographic Manifestations in Major Causes of Common Carotid Artery Occlusion

Segmented carotid endarterectomy for treatment of Riles type 1A common carotid artery occlusion

OBJECTIVE

Common carotid artery occlusion (CCAO) is a rare cause of cerebrovascular events. Symptomatic lesions are resistant to medical treatment and revascularization is often required, but there is no consensus on the treatment of CCAO at present. Riles type 1A CCAO is most likely to benefit from revascularization because it has patent outflow tract (internal carotid artery) which was supplied by patent external carotid artery (ECA) from collateral circulation. We described a novel surgical technique improved on the basis of the carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for treatment of Riles type 1A CCAO.

METHODS

We rigorously screened ten patients with symptomatic Riles type1A CCAO for surgery from January 2017 to May 2019 and performed a full preoperative assessment of the inadequate collateral circulation compensation. Moreover, we retrospectively reviewed our experience of the segmented CEA in the treatment of them in our single center.

RESULTS

Segmented CEA was performed on the left side in four cases and on the right side in six cases. The technical success rate of the procedure was 100%. Primary suture was used in nine cases. Only one patient (right CCAO) who had a history of neck radiotherapy was treated by the patch CEA. The mean temporary blocking time during surgery was 52.8 ± 9.15 min. The mean temporary blocking time for treating the upper segment of the common carotid artery (CCA) was 11.1 ± 2.64 min. In the postoperative period, cerebral perfusion on the ipsilateral site improved in all patients, myocardial infarction occurred in one patient, and recurrent laryngeal nerve damage occurred in another. No ischemic events or re-occlusion or restenosis (> 50%) of the treated CCA occurred during the mean follow-up of 32.6 ± 9.3 months. The preoperative mean modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score was 1.9 (range, 1-3; median, 2). At last follow-up for all patients, the mRS score was 1 (range, 0-3; median, 1).

CONCLUSION

Segmented CEA, which utilizes the compensatory effect of collateral circulation, is an effective and safe technique to treat patients suffering from Riles type 1A CCAO with hemodynamic cerebrovascular compromise.

A Review on the Value of Imaging in Differentiating between Large Vessel Vasculitis and Atherosclerosis

Imaging is becoming increasingly important for the diagnosis of large vessel vasculitis (LVV). Atherosclerosis may be difficult to distinguish from LVV on imaging as both are inflammatory conditions of the arterial wall. Differentiating atherosclerosis from LVV is important to enable optimal diagnosis, risk assessment, and tailored treatment at a patient level. This paper reviews the current evidence of ultrasound (US), 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to distinguish LVV from atherosclerosis. In this review, we identified a total of eight studies comparing LVV patients to atherosclerosis patients using imaging—four US studies, two FDG-PET studies, and two CT studies. The included studies mostly applied different methodologies and outcome parameters to investigate vessel wall inflammation. This review reports the currently available evidence and provides recommendations on further methodological standardization methods and future directions for research.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Ring-Stripping Retrograde Endarterectomy and Carotid Artery Crossover Bypass in the Treatment of Patients with Symptomatic Riles Type 1A Common Carotid Artery Occlusion

OBJECTIVE

The surgical procedure most appropriate for treating symptomatic Riles type 1A common carotid artery occlusion (CCAO) is unclear. This study compares the effects of ring-stripping retrograde endarterectomy (RSRE) and carotid artery crossover bypass (CACB) on cerebral perfusion improvement in patients with symptomatic Riles type 1A CCAO.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of symptomatic Riles type 1A CCAO patients treated at our centre. Postoperative improvements in the ipsilateral internal carotid artery (ICA) flow rate, ipsilateral cerebral blood perfusion (CBP) and the stroke recurrence rate were compared between patients who underwent RSRE and those who underwent CACB.

RESULTS

A total of 20 CCAO patients were surgically treated at our centre from 2011 to 2018. Nine of these patients underwent RSRE, and eleven underwent CACB. No significant differences were identified between the groups in the ipsilateral blood flow rate of the ICA immediately after surgery and the ipsilateral-to-contralateral mean transit time ratios 1 day after surgery. However, the flow rate in the ICA was significantly higher in the RSRE group than in the CACB group 1 year after surgery (135.44 ± 19.22 ml/min vs. 116.36 ± 17.70 ml/min, p = 0.033). For CBP, the ipsilateral-to-contralateral mean transit time ratios were significantly lower in RSRE patients than in CACB patients 1 year after surgery (1.005 ± 0.052 vs. 1.064 ± 0.066, p = 0.044). In addition, the postoperative modified Rankin scale (mRS) score at the latest follow-up point (p = 0.884) and the stroke recurrence rate during the follow-up (88.9% vs. 90.9%, p > 0.999) were not significantly different between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the postoperative mRS score and the stroke recurrence rate were not significantly different between RSRE and CACB patients, compared to CACB, RSRE was better for improving the ipsilateral ICA flow rate and cerebral perfusion in symptomatic Riles type 1A CCAO patients.

Disobliteration of an Occluded Common Carotid Artery with Patent Bifurcation via Antegrade Ring Stripping

There is a lack of guidelines concerning common carotid artery (CCA) occlusive disease in the presence of a patent internal carotid artery (ICA). A novel surgical technique that disobliterates an occluded CCA was successfully performed in three cases. The detailed surgical steps are presented herein. After proximal division of the CCA behind the sternoclavicular junction, the occluded CCA was endarterectomized via antegrade ring stripping. After removal of the atheromatous core, the CCA was everted, and the wall remnants were cleaned under direct vision. Simultaneous eversion endarterectomy of the ICA was performed when necessary. After reversion of the CCA, it was transposed and anastomosed to the ipsilateral subclavian artery distal to the orifice of the vertebral artery. This novel technique can be used in selected cases by experienced surgeons.

Carotid-Carotid Artery Crossover Bypass with a Synthetic Vascular Graft for Symptomatic Type 1A Common Carotid Artery Occlusion

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of carotid-carotid artery crossover bypass with a synthetic vascular graft for symptomatic type 1A common carotid artery occlusion (CCAO).

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted of patients with symptomatic type 1A CCAO who underwent carotid-carotid artery crossover bypass surgery via a retropharyngeal route with a synthetic vascular graft in the Department of Neurosurgery at our hospital. Preoperative demographic data, surgical complications, incidence of stroke during follow-up, and other clinical data were summarized.

RESULTS

Between 2011 and 2016, carotid-carotid artery crossover bypass was performed with a synthetic vascular graft in 4 patients with type 1A CCAO. The mean patient age was 63.3 years (range, 49-69 years). Clinical symptoms included dizziness, amaurosis fugax, persistent limb numbness, and transient ischemic attack. In all 4 patients, postoperative computed tomography angiography showed internal carotid artery thickening due to successful bypass, whereas computed tomography perfusion showed improved postoperative cerebral perfusion on the side of the lesion. The sole perioperative complication was a complaint of foreign body sensation on swallowing in 1 patient. The mean duration of follow-up was 40.3 months (range, 14-77 months), during which no newly occurred cerebral ischemia or synthetic vascular graft occlusion was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Carotid-carotid artery crossover bypass with a synthetic vascular graft is a safe and effective therapeutic approach for patients with symptomatic type 1A CCAO. However, studies with larger series are needed to enable more precise conclusions.

Modification to the Rice-Vannucci perinatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy model in the P7 rat improves the reliability of cerebral infarct development after 48hours

BACKGROUND

The Rice-Vannucci model of hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) has been associated with a high degree of variability with respect to the development of cerebral infarction and infarct lesion volume. For this reason, we examined the occurrence of communicational blood flow within the common carotid (CCA), internal (ICA), and external (ECA) carotid arteries following CCA occlusion as a source of variability in the model.

NEW METHOD

We propose a novel modification to the Rice-Vannucci model, whereby both the CCA and ECA are permanently ligated; mitigating communicational blood flow.

RESULTS

Using magnetic resonance angiography, phase-contrast velocity encoding, and pulsed arterial spin labelling, the modified Rice-Vannucci model (CCA/ECA occlusion) was demonstrated to mitigate communicational blood flow, whilst significantly reducing ipsilateral hemispherical cerebral blood flow (CBF). Comparatively, the original Rice-Vannucci model (CCA occlusion) demonstrated anterograde and retrograde blood flow within the ICA and CCA, respectively, with a non-significant reduction in ipsilateral CBF. Furthermore, CCA/ECA occlusion plus hypoxia (8% O₂/92% N₂; 2.5h) resulted in 100% of animals presenting with an infarct (vs 87%), significantly larger infarct volume at 48h (18.5% versus 10.0%; p<0.01), reduced standard deviation (±10% versus ±15%), and significantly worsened functional outcomes when compared to CCA occlusion plus hypoxia.

COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD

We compared a modified Rice-Vannucci model (CCA/ECA occlusion±hypoxia) to the commonly used Rice-Vannucci model (CCA occlusion±hypoxia).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that CCA/ECA occlusion in the Rice-Vannucci model of HIE reduces infarct volume variability by limiting communicational blood flow.

Extracranial Carotid Artery Disease: Risk Factors and Outcomes in Patients With Acute Critical Hemispheric Ischemic Stroke

OBJECTIVES

The prevalence of carotid disease in stroke patients has been underestimated because most stroke patients who receive carotid sonography have already survived the acute event. Little is known about the extracranial carotid arteries of patients with acute stroke who need intensive care. This study reviewed color-coded carotid duplex sonographic examinations of the extracranial carotid arteries of patients with acute critical hemispheric ischemic stroke.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 30 consecutive patients who had acute critical hemispheric ischemic stroke and received color-coded carotid duplex sonography in the intensive care unit. The presence of occlusive carotid artery disease was correlated with clinical features, vascular risk factors, and outcomes.

RESULTS

Overall, 57% of the patients (17 of 30) had an occlusive internal carotid artery, and 44% of patients with atrial fibrillation (7 of 16) also had occlusive carotid disease. Eventually, 73% of the patients (21 of 30) had poor outcomes, and 57% (17 of 30) died. The contributing factors to a poor outcome were older age, an initial conscious disturbance, endotracheal intubation, and occlusive carotid disease, with the most significant factor being older age (P = .022; odds ratio, 27.76). The factors contributing to death were endotracheal intubation, occlusive carotid disease, and reversed ophthalmic flow, with the most significant factor being occlusive carotid disease (P = .014; odds ratio, 11.38). Soft homogeneously echogenic thrombi filling the lumen of the internal carotid artery and moving forward and backward with the carotid pulse were found in 3 patients. A small segment of ruptured plaque that was floating forward and backward with pulsation was found in 1 patient.

CONCLUSIONS

Occlusive carotid artery disease is not uncommon among Chinese patients who have had an acute critical hemispheric infarction. Older age is the factor most significantly correlated with a poor outcome, and occlusive carotid disease is the factor most significantly correlated with death.

Common Carotid Artery Occlusion With Retrograde Flow in the Internal Carotid Artery

In most cases of common carotid artery (CCA) occlusion, the internal carotid artery (ICA) is also occluded. This case presents a patient with a patent ICA distal to a thrombotic CCA occlusion, likely secondary to cardiac embolization related to chronic atrial fibrillation, with retrograde filling of the extracranial ICA via intracranial collateral flows.

Radiation-associated carotid artery atherosclerosis: case report and review of contemporaneous literature

Radiation therapy (RT) is a component of the treatment of patients with head and neck malignancies. This therapy may damage the nearby carotid arteries, thereby initiating or accelerating the atherosclerotic process (atheroma formation). Dentists treating patients who have been irradiated should examine the patient's panoramic radiograph for evidence of atheroma-like calcifications, which appear 1.5 to 2.5 cm posterior and inferior to the angle of the mandible. Patients with evidence of such lesions should be referred to their primary care physician with the suggestion that an ultrasound examination of the carotid arteries is indicated.

Total occlusion of the common carotid artery: a modified classification and its relation to clinical status

To investigate the hemodynamics and clinical presentation of common carotid artery occlusion (CCAO), we reviewed 6,415 patients with suspected carotid artery disease in whom a color Duplex imaging (CDI) examination was performed. According to distal vessel patency, the following CDI classification of CCAO was adopted: type I (patent both distal vessels); type II (isolated patency of external carotid artery); type III (isolated patency of internal carotid artery); and type IV (both distal vessels occluded). Thirty-five (0.5%) cases met the CDI criteria for CCAO. Twenty-nine of those (83%) had at least one patent distal vessel. Ten patients (29%) presented with stroke, 20 (57%) with transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) and five (14%) were asymptomatic. The incidence of stroke was higher in type IV (50%) vs. type II (30%) and in type II vs. type I (10%) lesions. Similarly, TIAs presented more often in type II (67%) and IV (50%) vs. in type I (40%) lesions (p = 0.002). Retrograde flow in the ophthalmic artery and concomitant severe contralateral carotid artery stenosis were more often related with type II and IV lesions (p = 0.02 and 0.04, respectively). CCAO is usually accompanied by patent distal vessel(s). The proposed CCAO classification correlates well with the patients' clinical status and may help to better clarify the outcome of this rare entity. Among the main arteries of the developed collateral circulation, only the flow direction in the ophthalmic artery may be of clinical value.

Thrombotic occlusion of the common carotid artery (CCA) in acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (TPA)

Although common carotid artery (CCA) occlusions are rare, acute clinical presentations vary from mild to devastating strokes primarily due to tandem occlusions in the intracranial arteries. Three patients with acute CCA occlusions were treated with systemic tissue plasminogen activator (TPA). Blood pressures were kept at the upper limits allowed with TPA therapy with fluid balance and the 'head-down' position. Recanalization occurred in intracranial vessels only. Marked early neurological improvement occurred in two of three patients. CCA occlusions should not be considered contra-indication to systemic thrombolysis.