How serious is a cervical artery dissection?

For spontaneous cervical artery dissection, the mortality is less than 5 percent. The risk for lasting neurological impairment from the disease is considerably higher. More than half of patients with spontaneous cervical artery dissection develop a stroke, sometimes delayed by hours or days.

What causes artery dissection in neck?

Cervical artery dissection can be caused by a sudden movement of your neck or an injury to your neck such as: a high-impact injury from a car crash, for example. a minor neck injury from doing sports like running, yoga or volleyball, for example. neck strain from activities such as painting a ceiling.

What is the treatment for artery dissection?

Treatment is usually with blood thinners such as warfarin or low molecular weight heparin for 3 to 6 months followed by aspirin therapy.

How long does a dissected artery take to heal?

Once diagnosed and treated, patients with carotid artery dissection require regular follow-up and imaging studies of both carotid arteries. Healing usually takes 3-6 months, and the incidence of contralateral dissection is higher in these patients than in the general population.

How common is artery dissection?

The annual incidence of symptomatic spontaneous internal carotid artery dissection is 2.5-3 per 100,000. The incidence of carotid artery dissection as a result of blunt injuries (mainly high-speed motor vehicle accidents) ranges from less than 1% to 3%.

How long does it take for an artery dissection to heal?

Healing usually takes 3-6 months, and the incidence of contralateral dissection is higher in these patients than in the general population. When the condition is diagnosed early, the prognosis is usually good.

Is artery dissection painful?

Pain is the initial symptom of a spontaneous internal carotid artery dissection presenting to a physician. Headache (including neck and facial pain) is usually described as constant and severe and is commonly ipsilateral to the dissected artery.

Can vertebral artery dissection heal itself?

The artery will completely heal in about 6 months. The scar tissue will be stronger than the original tissue. The neuro generally does an MRA at 6 months to insure that the VAD has healed. I’m glad to hear that you did not have a stroke as a result of the VAD.

What is the prognosis of carotid artery dissection?

Prognosis is variable and depends on whether the diagnosis is made before the onset of stroke symptoms. All patients have a very high risk of stroke, intracranial bleeding, and are subjected to anticoagulation which has its set of risks. Carotid dissection is a rare disease, and it is an extremely difficult diagnosis to make.

What are the symptoms of a blocked vertebral artery?

dizziness or vertigo.

What are causes of carotid artery dissection?

Causes. The cause of spontaneous coronary artery dissection is unknown. Risk factors. Risk factors for SCAD include:. Female sex. Though SCAD can occur in both men and women, it tends to affect women more than men.; Childbirth. Some women who have had SCAD have recently given birth.SCAD has been found to occur most often in the first few weeks after delivery, but it can also occur during