An Unusual Polypoid Symptomatic Carotid Plaque

A 71 year old man presented with six episodes of right amaurosis fugax over the preceding month. He underwent an uncomplicated carotid endarterectomy under local anaesthesia. The image shows the rounded polyp on ultrasound and intra-operatively the plaque projecting into the lumen, distal to the 70 –79% stenosis at the right internal carotid artery origin. Histology was in keeping with an atheromatous plaque. Around 20% of carotid plaques are smooth, but unusually this was almost spherical. Current evidence suggests major plaque irregularities infer a greater risk of neurological events, in which case this polypoid lesion is rare in both its morphology and its presentation.
Source: European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery - Category: Surgery Authors: Tags: Coup D ’Oeil Source Type: research