We studied the clinical and neuroradiological features of 41 cases with spontaneous bilateral internal carotid artery dissection (ICAD), including 3 cases in our hospital and 38 retrieved from the English literature. Bilateral ICAD accounts for 15.8% of young stroke patients with ICAD in our hospital. The most common presentations are head and/or neck pain, cerebral ischemia, carotid bruit and Horner's syndrome. The cerebral ischemic symptoms are extremely variable in bilateral ICAD, including unilateral hemisphere, bilateral hemisphere or brainstem-like symptoms. Although the underlying pathogenesis remains uncertain, good vascular and clinical outcomes are achieved for spontaneous bilateral ICAD.
Copyright (c) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.