Ten years after irradiation of the neck for a tonsillar carcinoma, a 59-year-old woman is found to have symptomatic carotid artery disease. Arteriogram shows a 70% irregular stenotic lesion. The following is/are true:
A. Replacement of the artery should be planned due to radiation induced arterial injury
B. The pathology is most likely to be an inflammatory reaction with endothelial sloughing and thrombosis
C. If atherosclerotic disease is found, the plaque will be no different than nonirradiated plaques
D. The patient should be managed medically because of the radiation arterial injury
Answer:C
Ten years after irradiation of the neck for a tonsillar carcinoma, a 59-year-old woman is found to have symptomatic carotid artery disease. Arteriogram shows a 70% irregular stenotic lesion. The following is/are true:
A. Replacement of the artery should be planned due to radiation induced arterial injury B. The pathology is most likely to be an inflammatory reaction with endothelial sloughing and thrombosis C. If atherosclerotic disease is found, the plaque will be no different than nonirradiated plaques D. The patient should be managed medically because of the radiation arterial injury