title: Hemifacial spasm resulting from vertebral artery dolichoectasia.
abstract: A 32-year-old man presented with left hemifacial spasm. Neurophysiological findings revealed an absent ipsilateral R1 on blink reflex. An MRI showed a dolichoectatic left vertebral artery impinging on the root exit zone of the left facial nerve. Botulinum toxin infections relieved the manifestations of hemifacial spasm. This case demonstrates that MRI/MRA is an essential part of the work-up for hemifacial spasm, and shows that in accordance with the literature, vertebral dolichoectasia is an uncommon cause of hemifacial spasm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology (Medicine), Hamad Medical Corporation, PO Box 3050, Doha, State of Qatar. Fax. +947 4392273. E-mail: doc_deleu@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Deleu
authors.forename: Boulenouar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mesraoua