Bilateral Internal Carotid Artery Dissection as a Possible Complication in a patient with Covid-19 infections and coughing

Cervical carotid dissection is one of the causes of ischemic stroke in young people. Most of the patients with carotid dissection do not have connective tissue diseases (Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome). It seems that dissection may occur without an obvious cause or may follow environmental injuries like vigorous neck movements, chiropractic manipulation, emesis, severe coughs, and some infections. We present a case of bilateral carotid dissection in a patient following coronavirus infection and severe coughs.

A 38-year-old right-handed man presented with recurrent episodes of transient right hemiparesis and aphasia. He had a history of coronavirus infection and severe persistent, nonproductive cough 7 days before the onset of his symptoms. Carotid angiography showed tapered flame-like appearance in proximal segment of left ICA starting about 2 cm distal to the carotid bulb caused complete occlusion of left ICA and in right CCA angiography there is pseudo aneurysm in right cervical ICA just before the Petrous segment. In 3 months in follow up DSA there is evidence of complete occlusion of right pseudo aneurysm and recanalization of left ICA without stenosis.

COVID-19 may have role in the processes that eventually led to CAD