Morphologic anomalies of the extracranial internal carotid artery. Our experience

Cerebro-vascular insufficiency may be caused by morphologic anomalies of the extracranial internal carotid artery (10-15% of symptomatic patients). These alterations are characterized by anomalous elongation which conditions particular attitudes of the carotid: tortuosity, coiling, kinking. In the first case the artery assumes an "S" or "C" shape; in the second the elongation is more emphasized and the artery develops one or more loops; kinking, the most frequent morphologic anomaly, is a sharp angulation of the first part of the internal carotid artery. The etiology of these anomalies seems to be related to congenital causes, that may be unmasked by arterial growing old process. Surgical correction, indicated for symptomatic patients or patients with important hemodynamic alteration, requires rectilinearisation of the internal carotid artery associated with TEA eversion of the same.