Cervical spine trauma: a cause of vertebral artery injury.
Blunt injury to the neck can cause hemorrhage and pseudoaneurysm formation. A 76-year-old patient with severe blunt injury to the anterior neck was found to have entrapment of the left vertebral artery at C2-C3. Arch aortography 3 weeks postinjury revealed a large aneurysm at the injury site. The mass was surgically reduced, followed by ligation of the artery 9 days later, which resulted in prompt elimination of the mass and its accompanying bruit. Rapid recognition of this injury depends on early carotid and vertebral artery angiography.
D000368:Aged; D001164:Arteriovenous Fistula / Q000209:etiology; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000293:injuries*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery