• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.51 no.1
• /
• pp.59-61
• /
• 2012

Although the mechanism of hemifacial spasm (HFS) is not yet well established, vascular compression of the facial nerve root exit zone and hyperexcitability of the facial nucleus have been suggested. We report a case of HFS in the setting of coinciding intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) of the pons and proximal ligation of the contralateral vertebral artery (VA) for the treatment of a fusiform aneurysm of the distal VA and discuss the possible etiologies of HFS in this patient. A 51-year-old male with an ICH of the pons was admitted to our hospital. Neuroimaging studies revealed an incidental fusiform aneurysm of the right VA distal to the origin of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. Eight months after proximal ligation of the VA the patient presented with intermittent spasm of the left side of his face. Pre- and post-ligation magnetic resonance angiography revealed an enlarged diameter of the VA. The spasm completely disappeared after microvascular decompression.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.54 no.4
• /
• pp.347-349
• /
• 2013

We report a very rare case of cervical compressive myelopathy by an anomalous bilateral vertebral artery (VA) entering the spinal canal at the C1 level and compressing the spinal cord. A 70-year-old woman had been suffering from progressive gait disturbance. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed that a bilateral VA at the V4 segment had abnormal courses and caused compression to the high cervical cord. VA repositioning was performed by anchoring a suture between the artery and around the arachnoid membrane and dentate ligament, and then, microvascular decompression using a Teflon sponge was done between the VA and the spinal cord. The weakness in the patient improved in the lower extremity after the operation. Anomalous VA could be one of the rare causes of cervical compressive myelopathy. Additionally, an anchoring suture and microvascular decompression around the VA could be a sufficient and safe method to indirectly decompress the spinal canal.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.59 no.5
• /
• pp.521-524
• /
• 2016

Use of the Pipeline embolization device (PED) has increased based on studies about its safety and effectiveness, and new reports that describe perior postprocedural complications are now emerging. We report a rare periprocedural device-related complication that occurred during endovascular treatment with the pipeline embolization device for a dissecting aneurysm on the vertebral artery. A 55-year old woman was admitted due to left medullary infarction, and angiography showed a fusiform dilatation in the left vertebral artery that was suspicious for dissecting aneurysm. Endovascular treatment with PED was planned. Under general anesthesia, the procedure was performed without significant problems and a PED was deployed in an appropriate position. However, in the final step of the procedure, the distal tip of the PED delivery wire became engaged within a small branch of the posterior cerebral artery and fractured. Fortunately, imaging studies after the procedure revealed neither hemorrhagic nor ischemic stroke, and the patient recovered without neurological morbidities except initial symptoms.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.44 no.3
• /
• pp.131-135
• /
• 2008

Objective : Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is considered as a reversible pathophysiological condition mainly induced by continuous vascular compression of the facial nerve root exit zone (REZ) at the cerebellopontine angle. As an offending vessel, vertebrobasilar artery tends to compress much more heavily than others. The authors analyzed HFS caused by vertebrobasilar artery and described the relationships between microsurgical findings and clinical courses. Methods : Out of 1,798 cases treated with microvascular decompression (MVD) from Jan. 1980 to Dec. 2004. the causative vessels were either vertebral artery or basilar artery in 87 patients. Seventy-nine patients were enrolled in this study. Preoperatively, computed tomography (CT) or brain magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with 3-dimentional short range MR technique was performed and CT was checked immediately or 2-3 days after anesthetic recovery. The authors retrospectively analyzed the clinical features. the compression patterns of the vessels at the time of surgery and treatment outcomes. Results : There were 47 were male and 32 female patients. HFS developed on the left side in 52 cases and on the right side in 27. The mean age of onset was 52.3 years (range 19-60) and the mean duration of symptoms was 10.7 years. Many patients (39 cases; 49.1%) had past history of hypertension. HFS caused only by the vertebral artery was 8 cases although most of the other cases were caused by vertebral artery (VA) in combination with its branching arteries. Most frequently, the VA and the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) were the simultaneous causative blood vessels comprising 32 cases (40.5%). and in 27 cases (34.2 %) the VA and the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) were the offenders. Facial symptoms disappeared in 61 cases (77.2%) immediately after the operation and 68 cases (86.1%) showed good outcome after 6 months. Surgical outcome just after the operation was poor in whom the perforators arose from the offending vessels concurrently (p<0.05). Conclusion : In case where the vertebral artery is a cause of HFS, commonly branching arteries associated with main arterial compression on facial REZ requires more definite treatment for proper decompression because of its relatively poor results compared to the condition caused by other vascular compressive origins.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
• /
• v.51 no.3
• /
• pp.329-332
• /
• 2021

A markedly enlarged foramen transversarium was discovered incidentally on a cone-beam computed tomography scan of a 72-year-old male patient who was referred for dental implant placement. Further evaluation with magnetic resonance angiography revealed that the foramen enlargement was caused by a tortuosity in the course of the vertebral artery. This case report highlights the importance of recognizing significant incidental findings on diagnostic images and the potential need for additional imaging as part of the complete interpretative process.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.56 no.5
• /
• pp.395-399
• /
• 2014

Objective : Blood blister-like aneurysms (BBAs) resemble arterial dissections. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between these two disease entities and highlight commonalities and distinct features. Methods : Among 871 consecutive patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, 11 BBAs of internal carotid artery and seven vertebral artery dissections (VADs) with a short segmental eccentric dilatation (Mizutani type 4), which is morphologically similar to a BBA, were selected. The following clinical factors were studied in each group : age, gender, risk factors, Hunt and Hess grade (HHG), Fisher grade (FG), vasospasms, hydrocephalus, perioperative rebleeding rate, and treatment outcome. Results : The mean age was 47.9 years in the BBAs group and 46.4 years in the type 4 VADs group. All the BBA patients were female, whereas there was a slight male predominance in the type 4 VAD group (male : female ratio of 4 : 3). In the BBA and type 4 VAD groups that underwent less aggressive treatment to save the parent artery, 29% (n=2/7) and 66.6% (n=2/3), respectively, eventually required retreatment. Perioperative rebleeding occurred in 72.7% (n=8) and 28.6% (n=2) of patients in the BBA and type 4 VAD groups, respectively. There was no statistical difference in the other clinical factors in both groups, except for the male dominancy in the type 4 VAD group (p=0.011). Conclusion : BBAs and ruptured type 4 VADs have a similar morphological appearance but there is a distinct clinical feature in gender and perioperative rebleeding rates. Complete isolation of an aneurysm from the parent artery might be the most important discipline for the treatment of these diseases.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.101-105
• /
• 2007

Purpose: This study aimed to find any difference in the clinical or the anatomical findings of vertebral artery dissection (VAD) between the trauma and the non-trauma groups. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data and radiologic images of VAD patients. We compared data on symptoms, neurologic deficit, National institutes of health stroke scale (NIHSS) at admission, Rankin score (RS) at admission and discharge, and radiological findings including anatomical features, between the trauma and the non-trauma groups. Results: From January 1997 to May 2006, 42 patients were enrolled and 13 patients (31%) had a history of earlier trauma. Focal neurologic deficit (trauma group 11/13 vs. non-trauma group 11/29), cerebral stroke (10/13 vs. 9/29), and extradural lesions of dissection (6/13 vs. 3/28) were more common in the trauma group than non-trauma group (p=0.007, p=0.017, p=0.018, respectively) and NIHSS at admission and discharge were significantly higher (p=0.012, p=0.001, respectively). Dissecting aneurysms were less frequent in the trauma group (2/13 vs. 19/29, p=0.006). Subarachnoid hemorrhage and unfavorable prognostic value (Rankin score at discharge ${\geq}$ 2) showed no differences between the groups (p=0.540, p=0.267, respectively). Conclusion: In VAD patients after trauma, focal neurologic deficit due to ischemic stroke and a steno-occlusive pattern are more frequent than they are in non-trauma patients. The location of dissection was most frequent at the extradural vertebral artery in the trauma group. NIHSS was higher in the trauma groups but the incidence of an unfavorable prognostic value (RS ${\geq}$ 2) was not significantly different between the groups.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.50 no.3
• /
• pp.370-374
• /
• 2018

Subclavian steal syndrome is a type of obstructive artery disease caused by severe stenosis and occlusion of a left proximal subclavian artery or brachiocephalic trunk. The resulting vertebro-basilar insufficiency symptoms are due to retrograde blood flow from the contralateral vertebral and basilar arteries into the low-pressure ipsilateral upper extremity vessels. For that reason, patients usually experience dizziness or arm ischemic symptoms. Neurointervention is an effective treatment for ischemic stroke, including the subclavian artery stenosis. This paper reports a patient with subclavian steal syndrome who had a vertebral artery Doppler waveform change in duplex sonography and a 12 mmHg difference in interarm systolic blood pressure. A stenotic lesion of the subclavian artery was treated effectively by inserting a precise stent. The follow up examination showed that the vertebral artery Doppler waveform change disappeared and recovered and that the 12 mmHg difference in interarm systolic blood pressure decreased to 5 mmHg after treatment.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.53 no.3
• /
• pp.194-196
• /
• 2013

Isolated abducens nerve paresis related to ruptured vertebral artery (VA) aneurysm is rare. It usually occurs bilaterally or ipsilaterally to the pathologic lesions. We report the case of a contralateral sixth nerve palsy following ruptured dissecting VA aneurysm. A 38-year-old man was admitted for the evaluation of a 6-day history of headache. Abnormalities were not seen on initial computed tomography (CT). On admission, the patient was alert and no signs reflecting neurologic deficits were noted. Time of flight magnetic resonance angiography revealed a fusiform dilatation of the right VA involving origin of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. The patient suddenly suffered from severe headache with diplopia the day before the scheduled cerebral angiography. Neurologic examination disclosed nuchal rigidity and isolated left abducens nerve palsy. Emergent CT scan showed high density in the basal and prepontine cistern compatible with ruptured aneurismal hemorrhage. Right vertebral angiography illustrated a right VA dissecting aneurysm with prominent displaced vertebrobasilar artery to inferiorly on left side. Double-stent placement was conducted for the treatment of ruptured dissecting VA aneurysm. No diffusion restriction signals were observed in follow-up magnetic resonance imaging of the brain stem. Eleven weeks later, full recovery of left sixth nerve palsy was documented photographically. In conclusion, isolated contralateral abducens nerve palsy associated with ruptured VA aneurysm may develop due to direct nerve compression by displaced verterobasilar artery triggered by primary thick clot in the prepontine cistern.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.59 no.5
• /
• pp.449-457
• /
• 2016

Objective : Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) caused by rupture of an internal carotid artery (ICA) or vertebral artery (VA) dissecting aneuryesm is rare. Various treatment strategies have been used for ruptured intracranial dissections. The purpose of this study is to compare the clinical and angiographic characteristics and outcomes of endovascular treatment for ruptured dissecting aneurysms of the intracranial ICA and VA. Methods : The authors retrospectively reviewed a series of patients with SAH caused by ruptured intracranial ICA and VA dissecting aneurysms from March 2009 to April 2014. The relevant demographic and angiographic data were collected, categorized and analyzed with respect to the outcome. Results : Fifteen patients were identified (6 ICAs and 9 VAs). The percentage of patients showing unfavorable initial clinical condition and a history of hypertension was higher in the VA group. The initial aneurysm detection rate and the percentage of fusiform aneurysms were higher in the VA group. In the ICA group, all patients were treated with double stent-assisted coiling, and showed favorable outcomes. In the VA group, 2 patients were treated with double stent-assisted coiling and 7 with endovascular trapping. Two patients died and 1 patient developed severe disability. Conclusion : Clinically, grave initial clinical condition and hypertension were more frequent in the VA group. Angiographically, bleb-like aneurysms were more frequent in the ICA group and fusiform aneurysms were more frequent in the VA group. Endovascular treatment of these aneurysms is feasible and the result is acceptable in most instances.