Bilateral distal vertebral artery occlusion.
Nine patients with bilateral occlusions of the distal vertebral arteries had clinical profiles that differed from patients with other vertebrobasilar lesions and formed a recognizable subunit. Bilateral distal vertebral artery occlusion is uncommon; it occurs primarily in hypertensive patients, and neurologic deficits develop progressively or stepwise over a longer time period than in basilar artery or branch occlusion. It causes mostly cerebellar and lower brainstem signs as a result of chronic low flow in the posterior circulation; it may cause sudden respiratory death. The prognosis is grave. Anticoagulant therapy alone is probably ineffective.
D000368:Aged; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*