Pediatric blunt vertebral artery injury: case report and treatment plan.
Aggressive screening for blunt cerebrovascular injuries in patients with trauma has led to the identification and successful treatment of these injuries. We report the case of an 8-year-old boy who sustained a vertebral artery injury after a motor vehicle collision. Computed tomography angiogram showed an 8-mm thrombosed segment of the vertebral artery. The patient was initially anticoagulated with a heparin drip and transitioned over to treatment with enoxaparin sodium (Lovenox). With few reports in the literature of blunt cerebrovascular injuries in the pediatric population, a review of the appropriate screening parameters, treatment plans, and follow-up is helpful for the practicing physician.
Brunworth
Louis Seitz
LS
Department of Surgery, Denver Health Medical Center and the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Denver, CO, USA.
Cothren
C Clay
CC
Kimm
G Edward
GE
Biffl
Walter L
WL
Moore
Ernest E
EE
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000465:Algorithms; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D017984:Enoxaparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000293:injuries*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*
D000925:Anticoagulants; D017984:Enoxaparin