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Kissing carotids

Dr Yuranga Weerakkody and Dr Frank Gaillard et al.

The term kissing carotids refers to tortuous and elongated vessels which touch in the midline. They can be be found in: 

  • retropharynx 2
  • intra-sphenoid 1
    • within the pituitary fossa
    • within sphenoid sinuses
    • within sphenoid bones

The significance of kissing carotids is two-fold:

  1. may mimic intra-sellar pathology
  2. catastrophic if unknown or unreported before transsphenoidal / retropharyngeal surgery

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