Benign Raeder's syndrome is probably a manifestation of carotid artery disease

Raeder first described Homer's syndrome with ipsilateral head pain due to p ara-trigeminal organic disease, but most subsequent reports of this syndrom e were idiopathic. Our recent case prompted a review of past reports of idi opathic Raeder's syndrome. Because in recent years the features of Raeder's syndrome have been recognized as common manifestations of carotid artery d issection, we divided the cases into those with and those without carotid i maging studies. The classifications and differential diagnoses are discusse d. Sixteen cases with carotid imaging studies were not very different from the 28 cases without such studies. Most studies were performed several week s after onset of symptoms and carotid dissection could not be definitely ex cluded in any case. Inmost cases of idiopathic Raeder's syndrome, carotid a rtery dissection was not considered and in no case was that condition defin itively excluded. People with Raeder's syndrome not associated with a parat rigeminal organic lesion probably have a disease of the carotid artery. Bec ause of the different criteria and classifications of Raeder's syndrome it is best to relegate this eponym to history.