Neurofibromatosis type 1 and multiple traumatic cervical arterial injuries: a case report

Blunt injury to the carotid and vertebral arteries is uncommon and potentially devastating. Neurofibromatosis type 1, or von Recklinghausen's disease is an autosomal dominant disorder affecting one in 3000 individuals. This genetic disease may affect many organs, including vessels.

This report describes a very unusual case of multiple traumatic arterial injuries in a 44-year-old Caucasian neurofibromatosis type 1 patient, with delayed diagnosis. The vascular abnormalities observed in neurofibromatosis type 1, probably enhanced the arterial lesions. Medical treatment with antiplatelet therapy combined with endovascular stent-assisted angioplasty allowed a good evolution for the patient.

Patients with medical history of neurofibromatosis type I are at risk to develop blunt cervical vascular injury. This association has to be known by emergency and intensivist physicians to optimize screening of cerebrovascular injuries and treat early such devastating lesions.