Partial thrombosis of carotid arteries in acute ischemic stroke

Abstract

We have conducted the analysis of 6 patients (5 males/1 female) with acute ischemic stroke due to partial thrombosis of the carotid arteries (CA).Duplex scanning showed that in 4 cases thrombus was located in carotid bifurcation and internal carotid artery, in 2 cases thrombi were found only in internal carotid artery. In 3 cases thrombus was immobile (one of them had small floating fragments on the thrombus surface) and in 3 cases was mobile (floating). In 3 cases thrombi were located on the small atherosclerotic plaques. In all patients the haemorrheological and haemostatic changes typical for hypercoagulation state were revealed. Hyperhomocysteinemia could be probably the cause of thrombi formation in 2 cases. In 2 cases thrombectomy was performed. Re-thrombosis occurred in 1 case and was explained by the absence of definite diagnosis. Once the diagnosis of hyperhomocysteinemia was set and the proper treatment was administrated the recurrent thrombus was completely exposed to lysis. In 1 patient thrombi formed both in CA and profound veins of the leg that caused lethal pulmonary thromboembolism. 3 patients demonstrated the effectiveness of conservative treatment which led to complete lysis of thrombi in 2 patients and the partial lysis of the thrombus in 1 patient.

Keywords

• carotid arteries thrombus
• duplex scanning
• ultrasound
• stroke