J Korean Neurol Assoc.  1994 Mar;12(1):126-133.

Spontaneous Dissecting Aneurysm of the Intracranial Portion of Vertebral Artery

• Kim SY
• Kang KS
• Lee BC
• Kim SM
• Song HK
• Oh SM
• Kang IW

Abstract

Spontaneous dissection of the vertebrobasilar arterial system is less common than that of the carotid system. These dissections are usually found extracranially or in a combination of intracranial and extracranial location. Pure intracrainl involvement is uncommon. Particularly in oriental country. This vascular anomaly is one of the important causes of posterior circulation stroke in young and middle-aged adults. Lf manifested as brainstem, ischernia, the usual symptoms and signs are typically neck or occipital pain followed later by particular features of the lateral medullary syndrome. Etiology remains obscure in most cases of spontaneous dissection and management is still controversial. We present three cases of dissecting aneurysm of the intracranial portion of unilateral vertebral artery. The two patients manifested as lateral medullary syndrome with sudden neck pain and digital substracted angiogram revealed proximal narrowed segments and distal fusiform dilatation of the unilateral vertebral arter.,v. The other patient manifested as subarachnoid hemmorrhage and angiographically dilatation at the junction of vertebral artery and posterior inferior cerebellar artery was noted. In operative field, two cases were confirmed as dissecting aneurysm.

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aneurysm, Dissecting*
Arteries
Brain Stem
Dilatation
Humans
Lateral Medullary Syndrome
Neck
Neck Pain
Stroke
Vertebral Artery*