Spontaneous cervical carotid artery dissection: outpatient treatment with continuous heparin infusion using a totally implantable infusion device.

The authors report a patient with spontaneous high cervical internal carotid artery dissection and a severe reversible ischemic deficit. Successful treatment consisted of 5 months of continuous intravenous heparin using an implantable infusion device. The details of this therapy are described, and alternative therapeutic modalities are discussed.