A case of cerebellar infarction caused by vertebral artery injury from a stab wound to the neck.
Vertebral artery injuries are the least common arterial injuries because of the deep location of the vessel in a bony canal. Injury of this vessel has not been associated with neurological deficits, and it is thought that many of these injuries are not recognized. The incidence of vertebral artery injury occurring after a penetration wound to the neck varies from 1.0% in gunshot wounds to 7.4% in stab wounds. However, even with vertebral artery injury in penetration wounds of the neck the association with cerebellar infarction is a rare occurrence. We describe a case of cerebellar infarction caused by vertebral artery injury from a stab wound that severed the vessel between the transverse processes of C3 and C4 with a hypoplastic contralateral vertebral artery. The patient ultimately suffered infarction of the cerebellum due to the lack of preservation of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery blood flow. Management is discussed and the medical literature is reviewed.
Park
Jung Je
JJ
Department of Otolaryngology, College of Medicine Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-702, South Korea. capetown@hanmail.net
Shim
Hyun Seok
HS
Jeong
Jae Ho
JH
Whang
Soo Hyun
SH
Kim
Jin Pyeong
JP
Jeon
Sea Young
SY
Kwon
Oh Jin
OJ
D002526:Cerebellar Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D008866:Microsurgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D019838:Neck Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D014951:Wounds, Stab / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery