Volume 72 Number 3 May 2005	back to contents

From the Medical Program, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Bronx, NY.

Address all correspondence to Dr. Amir M. Khan, 7A11, VA Medical Center, 130 West Kingsbridge Road, Bronx, NY 10468; email: dramirkhan@hotmail.com

Accepted for publication December 2004.

Presented at the 8 th Congress of the European Federation of Neurological Sciences, Paris, France, September 4–7 2004.

ABSTRACT

The clinical association between carotid artery dissection and oculosympathetic palsy is well-known. However, the occurrence of this combination with chiropractic manipulation of the cervical neck is rare. We describe the case of a 54-year-old Caucasian American male who underwent cervical manipulation for neck pain. The following day he noticed drooping of his left eyelid, with an unequal pupil size. Imaging later confirmed carotid artery dissection. Only three previous cases (one from the United States ), of an association between carotid artery dissection and chiropractic sympathectomy (oculosympathetic palsy after chiropractic manipulation of the neck) have been reported. Pictures of the oculosympathetic palsy, computed tomography of the head and magnetic resonance imaging of the dissection are presented.

KEYWORDS

Chiropractic manipulation, carotid artery dissection, sympathectomy, oculosympathetic palsy.

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