Acute concurrent bilateral internal carotid artery occlusion: a teaching clinical image

Abstract

Acute bilateral internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion is a rare stroke syndrome presenting with acute coma, and patients usually have preserved brainstem function on initial examination. In this clinical image, we report a case of acute concurrent bilateral ICA occlusion. Acute bilateral ICA occlusion is an unusual entity with a poor outcome. It can mimic metabolic encephalopathies and posterior circulation infarcts and can be differentiated by careful evaluation of brainstem functions.