Total Agenesis of the Internal Carotid Artery

Abstract

Congenital absence of the internal carotid artery is extremely rare. Angiographic demonstrations of three cases of unilateral total agenesis and one case of bilateral total agenesis of the internal carotid artery are reported. Hypocycloidal tomography confirmed the absence of the appropriate carotid canals. A brief description of the embryology of the internal carotid artery is given.