"Distal stump" of the internal carotid artery with ascending pharyngeal artery collateralisation. A potential source for further embolic ischemia.

In 2 patients, clinically exhibiting recent amaurosis fugax and small cortical infarction, carotid occlusion had been shown by means of doppler ultrasound. IA-DSA showed a collateral circulation within the distal carotid artery in the base of the skull via the ascending pharyngeal artery. The slowly perfused stump of a distal carotid artery is supposed to be a potential source of emboli into the retinal or intracranial territories.