Authors : Sibhi Ganapathy, Swaroop Gopal
DOI : 10.18231/.2018.0011
Volume : 4
Issue : 1
Year : 0
Page No : 41-42
Carotid webs are an evolving diagnosis made more often now, than before the advent of angiography. The webs are defined as a small intimal outgrowth that forms an obstruction to the streamlined flow of blood in the carotid artery. Angiographically they are defined as a filling defect seen in the bulb of the ICA just after the bifurcation of the ICA. These webs by virtue of their disruption of the laminar flow of blood give rise to slow eddy currents that result in thrombosis and thrombo-embolism.
We present a patient who complained of recurrent strokes who was investigated extensively elsewhere without result. An angiogram of the carotid circulation showed a carotid intimal web at the posteromedial aspect of the ICA bulb, just distal to the common carotid artery bifurcation. The web was treated with an endovascular stent placement, which collapsed the web and its pocket of eddy currents completely thereby eliminating the danger posed by it.
The report highlights the difficult nature of diagnosis while looking at prevalence and incidence of webs in the carotid system. The therapeutic options as well as prognosis in the short and long term are also addressed in the accompanying literature review.
Keywords: Carotid webs, Stroke, Self expanding stent.