Endovascular treatment of symptomatic carotid dissection

Internal carotid artery dissection is one of the possible causes of stroke in young adults. The effectiveness of medical therapy alone is often limited and endovascular strategy should be considered, particularly in the presence of persisting neurological symptoms. Currently, there is no general consensus on the most appropriate therapeutic strategy to follow in symptomatic carotid artery dissection. We here report a case of symptomatic carotid artery dissection treated with an endovascular approach, and we review the recent literature regarding this therapeutic strategy. Materials and methods for performing endovascular treatment are also described, along with the possible steps to follow. Data in the literature and our clinical experience suggest that stenting is promising in patients with internal carotid artery dissection and should be considered as a valid therapeutic strategy in case of failure of medical therapy in highly experienced centers.