title: Common Carotid Artery Occlusion Presenting with Recurrent Syncopal Episodes.
abstract: Symptomatic common carotid artery (CCA) occlusion is an uncommon occurrence that may require surgical intervention. We aim to describe a case of CCA occlusion that presented with the unusual symptom of recurrent syncope. A 69-year-old lady presented with a history of recurrent syncopal episodes and amaurosis fugax associated with left leg weakness. She was found to have a right CCA occlusion on duplex ultrasound and angiography. She underwent a right common carotid endarterectomy and intraoperative findings revealed a heavily calcified plaque in the CCA just proximal to the bifurcation with organised thrombus filling the CCA proximally. CCA occlusion can rarely present with recurrent syncopal episodes. Surgery may be curative.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, John Hunter Hospital , New Lambton, Australia.
authors.forename: Imran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kader
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, John Hunter Hospital , New Lambton, Australia.
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, John Hunter Hospital , New Lambton, Australia.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, John Hunter Hospital , New Lambton, Australia.
authors.forename: Ferdinand
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Miteff
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, John Hunter Hospital , New Lambton, Australia.
authors.forename: Senthil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
keywords: Common carotid artery occlusion; common carotid endarterectomy; stroke; syncope and transient ischaemic attack