Bilateral vertebral artery dissection caused by atlantoaxial dislocation
Panda, S.; Ravishankar, S.; Nagaraja, D.
Journal of the Association of Physicians of India 58: 187-189
2010
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-5772 PMID: 20848819 Document Number: 639612
Craniovertebral anomalies are rare causes of vertebral artery dissection. Therefore, appropriate evaluation is necessary in vertebrobasilar strokes, specially in the young. This is particularly true for patients with vertebral stroke without risk factors. Here we report a 24-year-old male presenting with posterior circulation infarcts. The patient had no obvious vascular risk factors. However, digital subtraction angiography showed chronic dissection of both vertebral arteries with partial recanalization. Further evaluation with computed tomogram of neck revealed atlantoaxial dislocation. This is a rare case in which atlantoaxial dislocation has resulted in bilateral vertebral artery dissection and stroke in young.