Takayasu's arteritis presenting with common carotid artery dissection: A rare case report

Exp Ther Med. 2016 Dec;12(6):4061-4063. doi: 10.3892/etm.2016.3861. Epub 2016 Nov 2.

Abstract

Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is a rare, idiopathic, chronic inflammatory disease associated with cell-mediated inflammation and involving predominantly the aorta and its primary branches. TA results in stenosis, occlusion or aneurysmal degeneration of large arteries pathologically. However, the incidence of dissection in arteries is low. As one of the primary causes of aortic dissection-associated ischemic stroke in young adults, only a limited number of TA cases presenting with aortic dissection have been published to date. In the present study, a case of common carotid artery dissection in a young patient with TA, without evident clinical manifestations, is presented. This is a rare clinical phenomenon, but may be a risk factor of acute cerebrovascular events. Clinical examination and satisfactory imaging are crucial for the correct diagnosis and management of patients with TA with dissection in arteries, and great attention is required in order to prevent the occurrence of cerebrovascular ischemia.

Keywords: Takayasu's arteritis; dissection; inflammation; ischemia; stenosis.