A Morphological Study Of Common Carotid Arteries in Atherosclerosis

Abstract

Objective:To review the pattern of atherosclerosis in common carotid arteries
Material & Methods: The pattern of atherosclerotic lesions was studied in common carotid
arteries in 30 human autopsy cases. This study was conducted in the mortuary of King Edward
Medical College, Lahore. Both the right and left carotids of all 30 cadavers were opened and
reviewed both grossly and microscopically.
Results:The fatty streaks were present in 10 cases in the right common carotid artery and 10
cases in the left common carotid artery. The fibrolipid plaques were seen in 9 cases in the right
common carotid artery and 9 cases in the left common carotid artery. The complicated lesions
were present in 5 cases in the right common carotid artery and 6 cases in the left common carotid
artery. In the right common carotid artery 4 cases showed ulceration and one case showed intimal
vascularization and haemorrhage alongwith thrombus formation. In the left common carotid
artery 4 cases showed ulceration and 2 showed intimal vascularization and haemorrhage
alongwith thrombus formation. The calcified lesions were seen in 4 cases in the right common
carotid artery and 5 cases in the left common carotid artery. The morphological changes in media
and elastic were present in 6 cases in the right common carotid artery and 7 cases in left common
carotid artery.
Conclusion: This study shows that raised atherosclerotic lesions are reasonably common in
our population and stresses the need to conduct larger studies to comment on the relationship
with age and sex.