Common carotid artery (CCA) occlusion is an uncommon cause of stroke. Doppler ultrasound (DUS) has been reported as a sensitive diagnostic tool in this pathology. Two cases of CCA occlusion are presented as DUS. In one case, the authors found the rare occurrence of reversed flow in the internal carotid artery (ICA) nourishing the external carotid artery (ECA). In the other, both CCA and ICA were occluded, and the contralateral ICA had a significant stenosis. Both patients were submitted to angiography. The role of DUS and its limitations in the presence of CCA occlusion are described and discussed.
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