Vertebral artery thrombosis after spinal injury: case report

The vertebral artery and the cervical spine are closely related anatomically, but damage to that vessel in cervical spinal injury and subsequent stroke involving the vertebrobasilar distribution has rarely been reported. A case of vertebrobasilar stroke following traumatic injury to the cervical spine is described. The anatomy of the vertebrobasilar system is reviewed and possible mechanisms of injury discussed. A literature review follows.