title: Non-traumatic vertebral artery dissection presenting with unilateral cervical pain, hemilateral vision problems and headache.
abstract: Spontaneous vertebral artery dissection is a rare condition, mainly affecting young adults with non-specific symptoms, which are often considered not severe. We report a case of a non-traumatic vertebral artery dissection in a 30-year-old woman. Our patient presented with unilateral right-sided neck pain and frontal headache during 3 weeks and recently developed right-sided vision problems. History and clinical findings were non-specific. Neurovascular imaging showed a right-sided vertebral artery dissection from C2 to C6 with an intima flap at C5-C6. The patient was observed in the stroke unit for 1 week and antithrombotics were given during 3 months. There was a complete revascularization of the vertebral artery after 3 months. A review of literature is given concerning predisposing factors, clinical symptoms, neurovascular imaging and treatment options.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Emergency and Traumatology , AZ St Dimpna , Geel , Belgium.
authors.forename: Gerry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: van der Mieren
authors.affiliation: a Department of Emergency and Traumatology , AZ St Dimpna , Geel , Belgium.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mertens
authors.affiliation: a Department of Emergency and Traumatology , AZ St Dimpna , Geel , Belgium.
authors.forename: Francis J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Somville
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006261:Headache / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods; D020217:Vertebral Artery Dissection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants
keywords: Neck pain; non-traumatic; unilateral; vertebral artery dissection