Sudden onset pharyngeal pain associated with dissecting vertebral artery aneurysm.
OBJECTIVE
We report a case of sudden onset pharyngeal pain due to dissection of the vertebral artery.


METHODS
A 65-year-old patient presented with sudden onset of unilateral pharyngeal pain, which was first, diagnosed as idiopathic glossopharyngeal neuralgia. Magnetic resonance image and cerebral angiography revealed a dissecting vertebral artery aneurysm. The anatomical site of the aneurysm may explain this complication.


CONCLUSIONS
Sudden onset of pharyngeal pain, although rare, should be considered as a complication of dissection of the vertebral artery even though there are no other general or neurological symptoms.
Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Japan.
Y
Y
Soga
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Y
Ito
D000368:Aged; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D010614:Pharynx / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*; D020217:Vertebral Artery Dissection / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology