Carotid dissection

Stroke is the loss of brain function due to blocked blood circulation to the brain. Strokes may be caused by an uncommon type of narrowing, obstruction, or leak in the lining of the carotid artery. This leaking of blood into the artery wall (dissection) may cause a clot to form, reducing blood flow and raising the risk of stroke. The leak may arise from an injury to the neck, which means strokes caused by carotid dissection may occur in young people as well as older people.

Review Date: 12/20/2010
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital.