Abstract
The authors report a case of 76-year-old man who was admitted to hospital for an evaluation of slight left hemiparesis and left hemianopsia. Three weeks later, the patient suddenly complained of neck pain and left hemiplegia. Right carotid angiography revealed an occlusion at the origin of the internal carotid artery. Thus, two boluses of 1.6 million t-PA units were immediately injected into the thrombosed internal carotid artery via a Tracker catheter. Subsequently, a posifibrinolysis angiogram showed revascularization of the occluded carotid artery : severe residual stenosis remained and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty was immediately performed. Later, a postangioplasty angiogram revealed a wide patency at the site of the previous stenosis. The patient then improved rapidly and was discharged 5 months later manifesting only a minimal motor disturbance of the left arm.
