[Vertebro-basilar artery occlusion in an 8-year-old boy]

An 8-year-old boy developed drowsy state, ataxia and right hemiparesis. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated ischemic lesions on bilateral cerebellar hemispheres, right thalamus and left pontine base. Angiography revealed occlusion of the left vertebral artery at the level of the second cervical spine and segmental narrowing of right vertebral artery from the level of the second to fifth cervical spine. Present case and previously reported cases suggest that vertebral artery could be stretched at the level of the second cervical spine and the intima may be injured to produce atherosclerosis.