Internal carotid artery dissection after anterior cervical disc replacement: first case report and literature review of vascular complications of the approach.

We report the case of a 41-year-old woman who underwent cervical total disc replacement at C4C5 and C5C6 levels and fusion at C6C7 level through an anterior right-side approach. After anesthesia recovery, the patient presented left hemiparesia and facial palsy due to large right hemispheric stroke. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging was performed as soon as the patient developed neurologic symptoms of stroke and revealed a right internal carotid artery dissection. Digital substraction angiography, endovascular stenting, angioplasty and thrombectomy were performed. Six months after treatment, clinical examination showed mild left-arm spasticity. To the best of our knowledge, only two cases of internal carotid artery stroke without dissection or thrombosis are reported. In conclusion, although vascular complications are rare after anterior cervical spine procedure, internal carotid artery dissection can occur. Suspected risk factors are prolonged retraction of the carotid artery and neck extension.