Spontaneous internal carotid artery dissection with paralysis of lower cranial nerves: case report

Spontaneous internal carotid artery dissection is a rare event that strikes patients at their productive age. As early intervention frequently determines a significant improvement, it is important to broaden the knowledge of the clinical, pathogenic and pathophysiological aspects of this disease. The objective is making an early diagnosis and treatment to avoid a bad outcome. We report the case of a 46 years-old man with spontaneous carotid artery dissection that had an atypical manifestation characterized by sudden paralysis of lower cranial nerves.