European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine
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Review Case Reports
Carotid artery dissection: three cases and a review of the literature.
Carotid artery dissections are potentially disabling, probably underdiagnosed, and mainly affect young-aged and middle-aged people. We present three consecutive cases illustrating different clinical presentations and thereby emphasizing the diagnostic challenge of carotid artery dissections for the emergency physician. ⋯ Clinical vigilance is of utmost importance as early diagnosis and timely treatment favor long-term prognosis and even prevent ischemic complications. We review the literature and discuss the pathophysiology, etiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, imaging techniques, treatment, and prognosis of carotid dissections.