Carotid Artery Dissection
Definition
A tear in the inner wall of the carotid artery caused by stretching or compression during strangulation. Can produce stroke hours to days after the strangulation event, contributing to delayed death or disability.
- Mechanism
- Tear of the arterial inner wall from stretching or compression
- Cause
- Strangulation
- Onset of stroke
- Hours to days after the event
- Outcome
- Delayed death or disability
Common questions
Why can a strangulation victim collapse or die days after the assault?+
A dissection can seed a clot that dislodges and blocks blood flow to the brain well after the initial event, so a victim who seemed to recover from strangulation can still suffer a stroke days later with no further trauma involved.
Why does this matter for strangulation documentation at the time of assessment?+
Because symptoms of dissection can be delayed and non-specific, examiners document neck findings and refer for imaging even when the patient appears neurologically normal at first assessment, so a later stroke can be causally linked to the strangulation.
Related terms
- Ligature Strangulation
- Compression by a cord, belt, wire, or similar item looped around the neck. The ligature mark shows the width and pattern of...
- Manual Strangulation
- Compression of the neck by one or both hands. The most common type in intimate-partner violence. Creates asymmetric, fingertip-sized contusions and may...
- Petechiae
- Pinpoint haemorrhages above the level of venous compression. They develop when venous outflow is blocked while arterial inflow continues, raising capillary pressure...
- Positional (Postural) Strangulation
- Compression of the neck caused by the weight of the body or an external object constraining the airway or neck vessels without...
- Strangulation Documentation Form
- A structured clinical tool, developed originally by the Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention, that systematically prompts recording of mechanism, symptoms, and physical...