title: Hemifacial spasm caused by an aberrant jugular branch of the ascending pharyngeal artery.
abstract: We present the first report of a case of hemifacial spasm caused by an anomalous, enlarged branch of the ascending pharyngeal artery and treated with microvascular decompression. Clinicians must appreciate unusual causes of hemifacial spasm so that patients are not denied a curative operation due to atypical radiographic findings.
authors.affiliation: a Indiana University School of Medicine , Indianapolis , IN , USA.
authors.forename: Krystin L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: b Department of Radiology , University of Pittsburgh Medical Center , Pittsburgh , PA , USA.
authors.forename: Marion A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.affiliation: c Department of Neurological Surgery , University of Pittsburgh Medical Center , Pittsburgh , PA , USA.
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Frederickson
authors.affiliation: b Department of Radiology , University of Pittsburgh Medical Center , Pittsburgh , PA , USA.
authors.forename: Barton F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Branstetter
authors.affiliation: d Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology , Indiana University School of Medicine , Indianapolis , IN , USA.
authors.forename: Joel A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Vilensky
authors.affiliation: c Department of Neurological Surgery , University of Pittsburgh Medical Center , Pittsburgh , PA , USA.
authors.forename: Raymond F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Sekula
keywords: anomalous posterior inferior cerebellar artery; ascending pharyngeal artery; hemifacial spasm; microvascular decompression; neurovascular compression