Vertebral artery injuries following chiropractic cervical spine manipulation--case reports

Four patients undergoing cervical spinal manipulations for nonneurologic diseases and with no previous neurologic signs or symptoms all developed significant neurologic deficits, one fatal, following manipulations of the cervical spine. Both the literature and the authors' series show that a number of patients have a prodrome prior to the onset of neurologic changes. There is no established therapy for the syndrome. Perhaps prevention is the best means of reducing neurologic injury.