NBME Step 2 CK Form 7 Internal carotid artery (NBME Answers)

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submitted by ∗step_prep5(246)

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Elderly man with vasculopathic risk factors (elevated cholesterol, type 2 diabetes) who presents with transient blindness of the left eye (suggestive of amaurosis fugax due to embolic phenomenon ipsilaterally on the left side) and an episode of aphasia (suggestive of embolic phenomenon affecting the left side of the brain where Broca’s area is located) also found to have a Hollenhorst plaque in the left eye, all of which is consistent with carotid artery stenosis of the left internal carotid artery throwing off small plaques
Key idea: Internal carotid artery will become the anterior cerebral artery and the middle cerebral artery
Key idea: Amaurosis fugax is highly associated with carotid artery stenosis and is due to occlusion of the ophthalmic artery, which is the first branch off the INTERNAL carotid artery

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jj375 Also, an external carotid embolism won't rly do much. The internal goes to the brain and eyes and important stuff. External mostly does neck and face structures +2