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Pathological tortuosity of the internal carotid artery: current problems and interesting facts

Abstract

This article is a review of the literature concerning the development and progression of pathological tortuosity of the internal carotid artery, also analyzing the parameters of measuring the severity of the pathology involved.

The materials were collected using the PubMed platform. The inclusion criteria were as follows: article age not exceeding 5 years, review articles or clinical trials concerning pathological tortuosity of carotid arteries.

Results. There was a correlation found between pathological tortuosity of the internal carotid artery and arterial hypertension, connective tissue disease, body mass index, cerebral small vessel disease and the risk of developing internal carotid artery dissection, with no relationship of atherosclerosis and pathological tortuosity of the internal carotid artery. It was revealed that hemodynamic significance of pathological tortuosity is determined by different diagnostic methods, with neither unequivocal parameters nor pathognomonic symptoms.

Conclusion. The only objective method of determining the degree of severity of pathological tortuosity is the tortuosity index. This parameter requires further study. Probably, early diagnosis and modification of risk factors contributing to the development and progression of pathological tortuosity of the internal carotid artery would decrease the likelihood of cerebrovascular complications.

Keywords:pathological tortuosity of the internal carotid artery; hemodynamics; atherosclerosis of brachiocephalic arteries; diagnosis; stroke; transitory ischemic attack

Funding. The study had no financial support.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Authors’ contribution. Study conception and design – Kheteeva E.E., Vinogradov R.A.; data collection and handling – Kheteeva E.E., Vinogradova E.R.; statistical processing – Derbilova V.P., Kapran T.I.; draft manuscript preparation – Kheteeva E.E.; manuscript revision – Vinogradov R.A.

For citation: Kheteeva E.E., Vinogradov R.A., Vinogradova E.R., Derbilova V.P., Kapran T. Pathological tortuosity of the internal carotid artery: current problems and interesting facts. Аngiology and Vascular Surgery. 2022; 28 (4): 36–41. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33029/1027-6661-2022-28-4-36-41 (in Russian)

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Akchurin Renat Suleymanovich

Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Deputy General Director for Surgery, Head of the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, National Medical Research Center for Cardiology named after Academician E.I. Chazov, President of the Russian Society of Angiologists and Vascular Surgeons

In accordance with the decision of the Presidium of the Russian Society of Angiologists and Vascular Surgeons, the journal "Angiology and Vascular Surgery" will be named after Academician A.V. Pokrovsky starting from No. 2/2022.