Internal carotid stenosis associated with compression by hyoid bone

Atherosclerotic plaques concomitantly with the hyoid bone protrusion into the internal carotid artery (ICA) are rarely reported in the literature. These plaques can be considered as arising from the turbulent flow and the shear stress caused by the close contact between the hyoid bone and the arterial wall carotid artery. The carotid stenosis was greater than 70%. We report a patient with a transient ischemic attack and a right significant carotid artery stenosis presumably due to a compression of an elongated ICA by the hyoid bone. The patient was submitted to open surgery to remove the plaque and correct the anomalous course of ICA combined with the lysis of the arterial adhesions with the right greater horn of the hyoid bone. The hyoid bone is a remote cause of injury and subsequent atherosclerotic lesions of carotid vessels. Elongation of the carotid artery can alter its course and can favor the mechanical interference with the hyoid bone and the subsequent arterial wall damage. When an external compression of the carotid artery is viewed, the endovascular treatment of the carotid artery stenosis is not advisable and open surgery is mandatory.