Related Experiment Videos
Transient rotational compression of the vertebral artery caused by herniated cervical disc. Case report
Andrew N Nemecek1, David W Newell, Robert Goodkin
1Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington/Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington 98104-2499, USA. nemecek@u.washington.edu
Abstract:
Of the many causes of vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI), extrinsic compression of the vertebral artery (VA) is relatively uncommon. A syndrome of VBI caused by extrinsic compression of the VA secondary to head rotation has been termed positional vertebrobasilar ischemia. The authors present a case of transient VBI caused by herniation of a cervical disc. Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography was used preoperatively to confirm the diagnosis and intraoperatively to monitor cerebral perfusion and to confirm that adequate decompression of the VA had been achieved.