Emergency Surgical Revascularization in a Patient with Acute Symptomatic Common Carotid Artery Occlusion

Isolated common carotid artery (CCA) occlusion with patent internal and external carotid arteries (ICA/ECA) is a rare event, which is often associated with recurrent ischemia due to arteryartery thromboembolism [1] . However, in a subset of these patients, large brain regions may additionally be compromised hemodynamically leading to a fluctuating and ultimately progressive clinical course. While some authors have reported successful surgical revascularization in selected subacute or chronic patients with clinical fluctuations secondary to CCA occlusion with hemodynamic instability in the past [1, 2] , the value of this procedure as an acute therapeutic option is unknown. Here, we report our experience on a patient treated with subclavian artery to distal CCA bypass during the acute phase of a symptomatic CCA occlusion.