title: Transient rotational compression of the vertebral artery caused by herniated cervical disc. Case report.
abstract: Of the many causes of vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI), extrinsic compression of the vertebral artery (VA) is relatively uncommon. A syndrome of VBI caused by extrinsic compression of the VA secondary to head rotation has been termed positional vertebrobasilar ischemia. The authors present a case of transient VBI caused by herniation of a cervical disc. Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography was used preoperatively to confirm the diagnosis and intraoperatively to monitor cerebral perfusion and to confirm that adequate decompression of the VA had been achieved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington/Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington 98104-2499, USA. nemecek@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Andrew N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Nemecek
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Newell
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goodkin
mesh_terms: D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012399:Rotation; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*