Traumatic internal carotid artery dissection

Traumatic internal carotid artery dissection is a serious condition that may cause ischemic stroke in young patients. It has been under-diagnosed in the past. We present three cases of traumatic internal carotid artery dissection. The clinical manifestations include hemicrania, hemiparesis, partial Horner's syndrome and cranial nerve palsy. Diagnosis is with carotid color Doppler ultrasound, CT angiography of the neck and conventional angiography. The outcome may be poor with hemiparesis, persistent vegetative state and death. We review the literature and discuss the clinical presentation, diagnosis, grading and treatment choices for traumatic internal carotid artery dissection and stroke.