Carotid artery thrombosis and stroke after blunt pharyngeal injury.

A 2-year-old child fell on a toothbrush, sustaining a pharyngeal injury. Eighteen hours later, localizing symptoms of a cerebrovascular accident became evident. Magnetic resonance angiography showed occlusion of the internal carotid artery and a cerebral infarction. She was treated with anticoagulation and made a complete recovery. Pharyngeal injuries may be complicated by internal carotid artery thrombosis and embolus. Management includes prompt diagnosis, anticoagulation, and carotid artery exploration in selected cases.