Lower cranial nerve palsies due to internal carotid dissection

Abstract

A 41-year-old man experienced intense heActache and neck pain, bruits, and a complete unilateral cranial nerve palsy IX-XII (Collet-Sicard syndrome) after a trivial back trauma. Magnetic resonance imaging and angiography demonstrated features of bilateral internal carotid artery dissection with aneurysm formation at the base of the skull compressing the nerves at the level of the jugular foramen. Severe dysphagia persisted for 1 month but rapidly improved after occulsion of the carotid aneurysm with a detachable balloon. © 1988 American Heart Association, Inc.