Imaging characteristics and treatment strategies for carotid artery occlusion caused by skull base fracture:Three case reports

BACKGROUND Traumatic internal carotid artery(ICA)occlusion is a rare complication of skull base fractures,characterized by high mortality and disability rates,and poor prognosis.Therefore,timely discovery and correct management are crucial for saving the lives of such patients and improving their prognosis.This article retrospectively analyzed the imaging and clinical data of three patients,to explore the imaging characteristics and treatment strategies for carotid artery occlusion,combined with severe skull base fractures.CASE SUMMARY This case included three patients,all male,aged 21,63,and 16 years.They underwent plain film skull computed tomography(CT)examination at the onset of their illnesses,which revealed fractures at the bases of their skulls.Ultimately,these cases were definitively diagnosed through CT angiography(CTA)examinations.The first patient did not receive surgical treatment,only anticoagulation therapy,and recovered smoothly with no residual limb dysfunction(Case 1).The other two patients both developed intracranial hypertension and underwent decompressive craniectomy.One of these patients had high intracranial pressure and significant brain swelling postoperatively,leading the family to choose to take him home(Case 2).The other patient also underwent decompressive craniectomy and recovered well postoperatively with only mild limb motor dysfunction(Case 3).We retrieved literature from PubMed on skull base fractures causing ICA occlusion to determine the imaging characteristics and treatment strategies for this type of disease.CONCLUSION For patients with cranial trauma combined with skull base fractures,it is essential to complete a CTA examination as soon as possible,to screen for blunt cerebrovascular injury.

Morphological and functional observations of a novel model of retinal ischemia injury induced by bilateral carotid artery stenosis in mice

AIM:To investigate the features of retinal ischemic injuries in a novel mouse model with bilateral carotid artery stenosis(BCAS).METHODS:BCAS was induced with microcoil implantation in 6-8-week-old C57BL6 mice.Cerebral blood flow was monitored at 2,7,and 28d postoperatively.Retinal morphological changes were evaluated by fundus photography and hematoxylin-eosin staining.Fluorescein fundus angiography(FFA)was performed to detect retinal vascular changes and circulation.The levels of apoptosis,activation of neurogliosis,and expression of hypoxiainducible factor(HIF)-1αin the retina were assessed by Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining,followed by retinal ganglion cell(RGC)density detection.Additionally,electrophysiological examinations including photopic negative response(PhNR)was also performed.RESULTS:The mice demonstrated an initial rapid decrease in cerebral blood flow,followed by a 4-week recovery period after BCAS.The ratio of retinal artery and vein was decreased under fundus photography and FFA.Compared with the sham mice,BCAS mice showed thinner retinal thickness on day 28.Additionally,apoptosis was increased and RGC density was decreased mainly in peripheral retinal region.Neurogliosis was mainly located in the inner retinal layers,with a stable increase in HIF-1αexpression.The dark-adapted electroretinogram showed a notable reduction in the a-,b-,and oscillatory potential(OP)wave amplitudes between days 2 and 7;this gradually recovered over the following 4wk.However,the b-and OPwave amplitudes were still significantly decreased on PhNR examination on day 28.CONCLUSION:BCAS can result in relatively mild retinal ischemia injuries in mice,mainly in the inner layer and peripheral region.Our study provides a novel animal model for investigating retinal ischemic diseases.

Imaging characteristics and treatment strategies for carotid artery occlusion caused by skull base fracture

The internal carotid artery occlusion caused by head and neck trauma,also known as traumatic intracranial artery occlusion,is relatively rare clinically.Traumatic skull base fracture is a common complication of traumatic brain injury.Traumatic skull base fracture is one of the causes of traumatic internal carotid artery occlusion.If not detected early and treated in time,the prognosis of patients is poor.This editorial makes a relevant analysis of this disease.

Cerebral perfusion in patients with unilateral internal carotid artery occlusion by dual post-labeling delays arterial spin labeling imaging

BACKGROUND Global and regional cerebral blood flow(CBF)changes in patients with unilateral internal carotid artery occlusion(ICAO)are unclear when the dual post-labeling delays(PLD)arterial spin labeling(ASL)magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)technique is used.Manual delineation of regions of interest for CBF measurement is time-consuming and laborious.AIM To assess global and regional CBF changes in patients with unilateral ICAO with the ASL-MRI perfusion technique.METHODS Twenty hospitalized patients with ICAO and sex-and age-matched controls were included in the study.Regional CBF was measured by Dr.Brain's ASL software.The present study evaluated differences in global,middle cerebral artery(MCA)territory,anterior cerebral artery territory,and Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score(ASPECTS)regions(including the caudate nucleus,lentiform nucleus,insula ribbon,internal capsule,and M1-M6)and brain lobes(including frontal,parietal,temporal,and insular lobes)between ICAO patients and controls at PLD 1.5 s and PLD 2.5 s.RESULTS When comparing CBF between ICAO patients and controls,the global CBF in ICAO patients was lower at both PLD 1.5 s and PLD 2.5 s;the CBF on the occluded side was lower in 15 brain regions at PLD 1.5 s,and it was lower in 9 brain regions at PLD 2.5 s;the CBF in the contralateral hemisphere was lower in the caudate nucleus and internal capsule at PLD 1.5 s and in M6 at PLD 2.5 s.The global CBF in ICAO patients was lower at PLD 1.5 s than at PLD 2.5 s.The ipsilateral CBF at PLD 1.5 s was lower than that at PLD 2.5 s in 15 regions,whereas the contralateral CBF was lower at PLD 1.5 s than at PLD 2.5 s in 12 regions.The ipsilateral CBF was lower than the contralateral CBF in 15 regions at PLD 1.5 s,and in M6 at PLD 2.5 s.CONCLUSION Unilateral ICAO results in hypoperfusion in the global and MCA territories,especially in the ASPECTS area.Dual PLD settings prove more suitable for accurate CBF quantification in ICAO.

Massive Epistaxis Revealing a Post-Traumatic Aneurysm of the Internal Carotid Artery: A Clinical Case and Review of the Literature

Internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysms are an unusual but serious cause of epistaxis. This epistaxis is massive and sometimes uncontrollable threatening the vital prognosis of patients. We report the case of a 16-year-old adolescent received in emergency with severe bilateral epistaxis, asthenia and grade-3 left exophthalmos. In his history, the subject had been the victim of an assault six months before consultation. He had received blows on the cephalic extremity with light but repeated epistaxis. The treatment consisted to blood products transfusion and local compression by sterile gazes. An ICA aneurysm in sphenoid sinus has been confirmed in a craniofacial CT scan coupled to vascular opacification. Although the ICA has a variable course in contact with the sphenoid sinus, massive epistaxis would be the consequence of a pronounced dehiscence of the ICA in the sphenoid sinus, particularly in a traumatic context. In front of this type of epistaxis in our context, general practitioners must be able to suspect a ruptured ICA aneurysm in the presence of exophthalmos and a notion of old or recent cranio-encephalic injury. Additionally, due to the high morbidity and mortality of this condition, a monitoring algorithm is necessary for patients with head trauma to facilitate early detection.

Cerebral blood flow volume measurements of the carotid artery and ipsilateral branches using two-dimensional phase-contrast magnetic resonance angiography

The optimal velocity encoding of phase-contrast magnetic resonance angiography （PC MRA） in measuring cerebral blood flow volume （BFV） ranges from 60 to 80 cm/s. To verify the accuracy of two-dimensional （2D） PC MRA, the present study localized the region of interest at blood vessels of the neck using PC MRA based on three-dimensional time-of-flight sequences, and the velocity encoding was set to 80 cm/s. Results of the measurements showed that the error rate was 7.0±6.0% in the estimation of BFV in the internal carotid artery, the external carotid artery and the ipsilateral common carotid artery. There was no significant difference, and a significant correlation in BFV between internal carotid artery ＋ external carotid artery and ipsilateral common carotid artery. In addition, the BFV of the common carotid artery was correlated with that of the ipsilateral internal carotid artery. The main error was attributed to the external carotid artery and its branches. Therefore, after selecting the appropriate scanning parameters and protocols, 2D PC MRA is more accurate in the determination of BFV in the carotid arteries.

Choroidal infarction after internal carotid artery stenting

Dear Editor,We present a case of choroidal infarction along with retinal infarction after carotid artery stenting(CAS),which is a rare condition not reported in the literature.CAS has increasingly been accepted as the mainstay reconstruction method for carotid artery stenosis compared with carotid endarterectomy(CEA)due to no need for general anesthesia.

Ultrafast pulse wave velocity technique for evaluating changes of carotid artery elasticity in Hashimoto thyroiditis patients with euthyroidism

Objective To explore the value of ultrafast pulse wave velocity(UFPWV)technique for evaluating changes of carotid artery elasticity in Hashimoto thyroiditis(HT)patients with euthyroidism.Methods Conventional ultrasound and UFPWV for carotid artery were prospectively performed in 91 HT patients with euthyroidism(HT group)and 81 healthy subjects(control group).Clinical data and ultrasonic parameters were compared between groups.Spearman correlation analysis was performed to observe the correlations of carotid pulse wave velocity in end of systole(PWV-ES)with clinical indexes and other ultrasonic parameters in HT group.Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis was used to screen the independent impact factors of increased carotid PWV-ES in HT group.Results Significant differences of thyroid peroxidase antibody(TPOAb),thyroglobulin antibody(TgAb),total cholesterol(TC),low density lipoprotein and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio(NLR)were found between groups(all P<0.05).The carotid PWV-ES in HT group was significantly higher than that in control group(P<0.05),while no significant difference of carotid artery intima-media thickness(CIMT)nor carotid pulse wave velocity in beginning of systole(PWV-BS)was found between groups(both P>0.05).Carotid PWV-ES in HT group was positively correlated with patients'age,body mass index,TPOAb,TC,triglyceride,NLR and CIMT(r=0.217—0.707,all P<0.05).Patients'age,TPOAb and NLR were all independent impact factors of increased carotid PWV-ES in HT patients with euthyroidism(all P<0.05).Conclusion UFPWV technique could be used to evaluate changes of carotid artery elasticity in HT patients with euthyroidism,among which PWV-ES was relatively sensitive.

Early diagnostic value of carotid artery ultrasound parameters combined with epicardial adipose layer thickness in coronary heart disease

BACKGROUND Coronary heart disease is associated with coronary atherosclerosis indicated by carotid intima-media thickness(CIMT)thickening and altered vascular elasticity.The epicardial adipose layer can secrete proinflammatory factors that promote the formation of coronary atherosclerosis.Thus,the epicardial fat layer thickness(EAT)may also predict coronary heart disease.AIM To determine the role of common carotid artery ultrasound parameters and EAT in the early diagnosis of coronary artery disease.METHODS Based on coronary angiography,patients with newly suspected coronary heart disease were divided into case(n=107)and control(n=41)groups.The carotid ultrasound parameters,including vascular stiffness(β),elastic coefficient(EP),pulse wave conduction velocity(PWV-β),CIMT,and EAT were compared between the case and control groups and among patients with different lesion numbers in the case group.Pearson correlation was used to evaluate the early diagnostic value of EAT,common carotid artery elasticity,and CIMT for coronary heart disease.RESULTS EP,β,PWV-β,CIMT,and EAT were significantly higher in the case group compared with the levels in the control group(all P<0.001).In the case group,lesions were detected in one vessel in 34 patients,two vessels in 38 patients,and three vessels in 35 patients.Within the case group,β,EP,PWV-β,CIMT,and EAT levels significantly increased with an increased number of lesions(all P<0.001).EAT positively correlated withβ,EP,PWV-β,and CIMT(all P<0.01).The area under the curve for diagnosing coronary heart disease using EAT combined with CIMT and carotid elasticity was 0.893,and the sensitivity and specificity were 0.890 and 0.837.CONCLUSION EAT correlated well with changes in carotid artery elasticity and CIMT in patients with coronary heart disease.The combination of EAT,carotid artery elasticity,and CIMT facilitates the early diagnosis of coronary heart disease.

Ultrasound Combined with CTA in Diagnosis of Painless Aortic Dissection Combined with Carotid Artery Active Thrombosis: A Case Report

Background: Aortic dissection (AD) is a relatively rare but dreadful illness, often accompanied by severe, sharp (or tearing) back pain or anterior chest pain, as well as acute hemodynamic compromise. Painless dissection has also been reported in rare cases and might be misdiagnosed due to its atypical symptoms leading to catastrophic outcomes. Case presentation: The patient was admitted to the hospital due to right limb weakness with speech inability for more than 10 hours. In the routine cardiac ultrasound examination, the avulsion intimal echo was found in the initial segment of the descending aorta. The rupture range was about 11 mm, and the lumen was separated into real and false lumen. Further computed tomography angiography (CTA) examination confirmed the major arterial dissection (De Bakey Type I). Conclusion: We report a case of painless aortic dissection with active carotid artery thrombosis diagnosed by ultrasound and CTA, and to improve the understanding of painless aortic dissection by reviewing relevant domestic and foreign literature.

Congenital bilateral absence of the common carotid artery and internal carotid artery:a case report and literature review

Absence of the common carotid artery(CCA) and/or internal carotid artery (ICA ) is a kind of rare congenital anomaly. This paper reports one patient with bilateral absence of the CCA and ICA who suffered from cerebral infarction. And the relative literatures of the possible cause and collateral circulation were reviewed.

Subfoveal choroidal thickness and volume in severe internal carotid artery stenosis patients

AIM：To demonstrate the differences of retinal and choroidal structure changes in internal carotid artery（ICA） patients of China by enhanced-depth imaging optical coherence tomography（EDI-OCT）.METHODS：A retrospective review was conducted of 46 patients with a diagnosis of ICA stenosis greater than 65% on only one side（the opposite ICA Stenosis had less than 40% stenosis） from June 2015 through June 2016.All of the patients were combined with amaurosis fugax,but without any abnormality with other ocular examination.Thickness and volume of choroid and retina were manually measured by EDI-OCT.Differences were compared between ICA stenosis eyes and fellow eyes.RESULTS：There were no significant differences in the retinal thickness,macular retinal nerve fiber layer（m RNFL） thickness,inner thickness,or outer retinal thickness between the ICA Stenosis group and the control group（P=0.834,0.187,0.552,and 0.903,respectively）.The mean central choroidal thickness of the ICA Stenosis group was significantly lower than that of the control group（239.70±23.76 μm vs 257.46±22.13 μm,P〈0.001）.The percentage of ICA stenosis was significantly associated with the central choroidal thickness,central retinal thickness,foveal center choroidal volume,and foveal center retinal volume（r=0.854,0.678,0.729,and 0.785,respectively;P〈0.001）.There were no significant differences in the retinal and choroidal volume values in the 4 inner and 4 outer sectors between the two groups.CONCLUSION：The choroidal thickness in severe ICA stenosis eyes is lower than in fellow eyes.The choroidal thinning may occur before the retinal changes in patients with ocular ischemic syndrome.Evaluations of choroidal thickness may be useful to choose the optimal therapeutic schedule for ICA patients.

Internal carotid artery agenesis with stenosed intercavernous anastomosis:a case report

We report a rare case of internal carotid artery agenesis with stenosed intercavernous anastomosis. A 59-year- old male patient presented with a new infarction in the left basal ganglia. Magnetic resonance angiography and cerebral angiography showed that the right internal carotid artery disappeared from the origin to the foramen lacerum segment, and there was an anastomotic artery with severe stenosis passed through the floor of the sella and in front of the cavernous sinus. The right A1 segment of the anterior cerebral artery was absent and A2 segment was supplied by the normal contralateral internal carotid artery via the anterior communicating artery.

Cerebral infarct secondary to traumatic internal carotid artery dissection

BACKGROUND Traumatic internal carotid artery dissection(TICAD)is rare and can result in severe neurological disability and even death.No consensus regarding its diagnostic screening and management has been established.AIM To investigate the clinical presentation,imaging features,diagnostic workup,and treatment of TICAD.METHODS In this retrospective case series,emergency admissions for TICAD due to closed head injury were analyzed.The demographic,clinical,and radiographic data were retrieved from patient charts and the picture archiving and communication system.RESULTS Six patients(five males and one female,age range of 43-62 years,mean age of 52.67 years)presented with TICAD.Traffic accidents(4/6)were the most frequent cause of TICAD.The clinical presentation was always related to brain hypoperfusion.Imaging examination revealed dissection of the affected artery and corresponding brain infarction.All the patients were definitively diagnosed with TICAD.One patient was treated conservatively,one patient underwent anticoagulant therapy,two patients were given both antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs,and two patients underwent decompressive craniectomy.One patient fully recovered,while three patients were disabled at follow-up.Two patients died of refractory brain infarction.CONCLUSION TICAD can cause catastrophic outcomes and even refractory brain hernia.Early and efficient diagnosis of TICAD is essential for initiating appropriate treatment.The treatment of TICAD is challenging and variable and is based on clinician discretion on a case-by-case basis.

Bilateral cerebral infarction in diabetic ketoacidosis and bilateral internal carotid artery occlusion:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Diabetic ketoacidosis(DKA)is a serious complication of type 1 diabetes mellitus(T1DM).Very rarely does DKA lead to cerebral edema,and it is even rarer for it to result in cerebral infarction.Bilateral internal carotid artery occlusion(BICAO)is also rare and can cause fatal stroke.Moreover,case reports about acute cerebral infarction throughout both internal carotid arteries with simultaneous BICAO are very scarce.In this study,we present a patient with BICAO,T1DM,hypertension,and hyperlipidemia,who had a catastrophic bilateral cerebral infarction after a DKA episode.We briefly introduce BICAO and the mechanisms by which DKA results in cerebral infarction.CASE SUMMARY A 41-year-old woman presented with ischemic stroke that took place 3 mo prior over the left corona radiata,bilateral frontal lobe,and parietal lobe with right hemiplegia and Broca’s aphasia.She had a history of hypertension for 5 years,hyperlipidemia for 4 years,hyperthyroidism for 3 years,and T1DM for 31 years.The first brain magnetic resonance imaging not only revealed the aforementioned ischemic lesions but also bilateral internal carotid artery occlusion.She was admitted to our ward for rehabilitation due to prior stroke sequalae.DKA took place on hospital day 2.On hospital day 6,she had a new massive infarction over the bilateral anterior cerebral artery and middle cerebral artery territory.After weeks of aggressive treatment,she remained in a coma and on mechanical ventilation due to respiratory failure.After discussion with her family,compassionate extubation was performed on hospital day 29 and she died.CONCLUSION DKA can lead to cerebral infarction due to several mechanisms.In people with existing BICAO and several stroke risk factors such as hypertension, T1DM,hyperlipidemia, DKA has the potential to cause more serious ischemic strokes.

Comparison of invasive dynamic blood pressure between superior mesenteric artery and common carotid artery in rats

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to identify the consistency of invasive dynamic blood pressure(BP) monitoring between the superior mesenteric artery(SMA) and the common carotid artery(CCA).METHODS: Eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were cannulated in SMA and CCA simultaneously for BP monitoring, respectively.The abdominal aorta was prepared for the induction of BP change through clamping/de-clamping by a microvascular clip.The dynamic BP monitoring was performed by a polygraph system.Systolic blood pressure(SBP), diastolic blood pressure(DBP), and mean arterial pressure(MAP) values would be recorded during different time periods: the baseline(T1), the increasing period after clamping(T2), the platform period during clamping(T3), the decreasing period after de-clamping(T4), and the final platform period(T5).Three trials were performed on each rat with 15-minute intervals between consecutive monitoring.RESULTS: Systolic BP showed no significant differences between SMA and CCA.However, significant difference was found in diastolic blood pressure except at T5(P=0.534).Mean arterial pressure of two arteries were significantly different only at T1(P=0.015).The strength of association was significantly high between BP measurements through SMA and CCA(P<0.001).The BlandAltman analyses showed that mean bias of MAP changed no more than 5 mmHg and standard deviation less than 8 mmHg during T2 and T4, respectively.CONCLUSION: The study indicates SMA might be an alternative site for invasive BP monitoring during abdominal aorta occlusion and release, especially in cerebrovascular-related research.

Histochemistry of microinfarcts in the mouse brain after injection of fluorescent microspheres into the common carotid artery

The mouse model of multiple cerebral infarctions,established by injecting fluorescent microspheres into the common carotid artery,is a recent development in animal models of cerebral ischemia.To investigate its effectiveness,mouse models of cerebral infarction were created by injecting fluorescent microspheres,45–53μm in diameter,into the common carotid artery.Six hours after modeling,fluorescent microspheres were observed directly through a fluorescence stereomicroscope,both on the brain surface and in brain sections.Changes in blood vessels,neurons and glial cells associated with microinfarcts were examined using fluorescence histochemistry and immunohistochemistry.The microspheres were distributed mainly in the cerebral cortex,striatum and hippocampus ipsilateral to the side of injection.Microinfarcts were found in the brain regions where the fluorescent microspheres were present.Here the lodged microspheres induced vascular and neuronal injury and the activation of astroglia and microglia.These histopathological changes indicate that this animal model of multiple cerebral infarctions effectively simulates the changes of various cell types observed in multifocal microinfarcts.This model is an effective,additional tool to study the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke and could be used to evaluate therapeutic interventions.This study was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of the Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion,China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences(approval No.D2021-03-16-1)on March 16,2021.

Multidimensional modeling of the stenosed carotid artery: A novel CAD approach accompanied by an extensive lumped model

This study describes a multidimensional 3D/lumped parameter（LP） model which contains appropriate inflow/outflow boundary conditions in order to model the entire human arterial trees. A new extensive LP model of the entire arterial network（48 arteries） was developed including the effect of vessel diameter tapering and the parameterization of resistance, conductor and inductor variables. A computer aided-design（CAD） algorithm was proposed to effciently handle the coupling of two or more 3D models with the LP model, and substantially lessen the coupling processing time. Realistic boundary conditions and Navier-Stokes equations in healthy and stenosed models of carotid artery bifurcation（CAB） were used to investigate the unsteady Newtonian blood flow velocity distribution in the internal carotid artery（ICA）. The present simulation results agree well with previous experimental and numerical studies. The outcomes of a pure LP model and those of the coupled 3D healthy model were found to be nearly the same in both cases. Concerning the various analyzed 3D zones, the stenosis growth in the ICA was not found as a crucial factor in determining the absorbing boundary conditions.This paper demonstrates the advantages of coupling local and systemic models to comprehend physiological diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Emergency treatment and anesthesia management of internal carotid artery injury during neurosurgery:Four case reports

BACKGROUND During skull base surgery,intraoperative internal carotid artery(ICA) injury is a catastrophic complication that can lead to fatal blood loss or secondary cerebral ischemia.Appropriate management of ICA injury plays a crucial role in the prognosis of patients.Neurosurgeons have reported multiple techniques and management strategies;however,the literature on managing this complication from the anesthesiologist’s perspective is limited,especially in the aspect of circulation management and airway management when patients need transit for further endovascular treatment.CASE SUMMARY We describe 4 cases of ICA injury during neurosurgery;there were 3 cases of pathologically proven pituitary adenoma and 1 case of cavernous sinus endothelial meningioma.After the onset of ICA injury,all four patients were immediately transferred for endovascular therapy under general anesthesia with vital signs monitored and mechanical ventilation.Three patients were transferred to the hybrid operating room,and one patient was transferred to the catheter operating room.Three patients underwent covered stent implantation,and one patient underwent embolization.All four patients experienced hypovolemic shock and received blood products infusion and vasoactive drugs to maintain stable circulation.After the neurosurgery,one patient was extubated and returned to the ward,and the other three were delayed tracheal extubation and returned to the intensive care unit.One patient died from serious neurological complications after 62 d in the hospital,but the other three showed good clinical outcomes.CONCLUSION ICA injury imposes a high risk of massive hemorrhage and subsequent infarction.Immediate treatment is critical and requires interdisciplinary collaboration among neurosurgeons,anesthesiologists,and interventional neuroradiologists.Effective hemostatic methods,stable hemodynamics sufficient to ensure perfusion of vital organs,airway safety during transit,rapid localization and implementation of appropriate measures to occlude the damaged vessel are strong guarantees of patient safety.

Percutaneous cervical carotid artery access with stenting of the left internal carotid artery in an elderly patient

To describe the successful endovascular treatment in a nonagenarian with symptomatic internal carotid artery stenosis using direct carotid artery access. An independent 98 year-old man was admitted to our hospital for symptoms of progressive weakness with disorientation and dysphasia. Carotid Duplex ultrasonography was performed which revealed a totally occluded right internal carotid artery and high grade stenosis of the left internal carotid artery by velocities of 608/240 cm/sec. The patient refused surgical endarterectomy and thus he was referred for carotid artery stenting. Using the femoral artery approach and multiple catheter techniques, access to the common carotid artery could not be accomplished safely. The procedure was aborted and he was therefore brought back to the catheterization laboratory the following day for direct carotid access. Carotid artery stenting was accomplished by using of a 6F sheath percutaneously in the left common carotid, cerebral protection device (CPD) and a Nitinol stent. The patient was discharged the following day without complications. At 14 months follow-up the patient is functional and independent without recurrence of symptoms. Carotid artery stenting via direct access can be accomplished in patients when the femoral artery approach is anatomically prohibitive. In this case of advanced age and the patient’s refusal for surgery, direct carotid access was his only option.