Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Original Article

Mobile thrombi in the cervical carotid artery

Yuichiro Inatomi, M.D.1), Akira Mori, M.D.1)2), Toshiro Yonehara, M.D.1), Yoichiro Hashimoto, M.D.3), Teruyuki Hirano, MD.2) and Makoto Uchino, M.D.2)

1)Stroke Center, Saiseikai Kumamoto Hospital
2)Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University
3)Department of Neurology, Kumamoto City Hospital

Clinical characteristics of mobile thrombus in the cervical carotid artery were investigated. In the 1,528 patients with acute ischemic stroke, mobile thrombi were detected by carotid echography in 14 patients (0.9%; mean 77 years-old; 8 women). Mean National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale was 19 on admission, and 24 on day 10. Mean modified Rankin Scale was 4.6 (dead in 2 patients) at discharge. MR angiography disclosed occlusion of the internal carotid artery in 11 of 14 patients. Mobile thrombi were divided into 3 subtypes: floating thrombus in 5 patients; mobile mural thrombus in 5; oscillating thrombus in 4. Followed echography showed occlusion of the internal carotid artery in 4 of 7 patients. Floating thrombus disappeared in one of 5 patients without clinical recurrence. Although surgical treatment including carotid endarterectomy was not performed in all of the present cases, clinical recurrence during admission was seen in only one patient with embolic stroke in the contralateral internal carotid artery of the mobile thrombus.

(CLINICA NEUROL, 45: 711|716, 2005)
key words: mobile thrombus, brain infarction, carotid echography, carotid artery

(Received: 18-Dec-04)