Summary
Spontaneous dissecting aneurysm of the vertebral artery is an infrequent cause of vertebro basilar ischemic strokes. Previously reported cases concern essentially occlusion of the basilar artery. Only 14 cases of spontaneous dissecting aneurysm concern the extracranial vertebral artery among these eight were angiographically documented. In this study based upon 15 patients (20 dissecting aneurysms), the authors discuss etiological factors, such as hypertension or fibromuscular dysplasia: on clinical findings they insist upon the diagnostic value of preliminary symptoms, cervical pain or posterior headaches; the most frequent angiographic appearance was a long and irregular stenosis of one or two segments of the vertebral artery. The prognosis of these aneurysms most often appears favourable in this group.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Sherman DG, Hart RG, Easton J (1981) Abrupt change in head position and cerebral infarction. Stroke 12
Sterne K (1933) Über Kreislaufstörungen im Gehirn bei wandeln Rissen in extrazerebralen Arterien zugleich ein Beitrag zur Pathologie des Hitzschlags. Zentralbl Ges Neurol Psychiatr 148:55–82
Watson AJ (1956) Dissecting aneurysm of arteries other than the aorta. J Pathol Bacteriol 72:439–449
Wolman C (1959) Cerebral dissecting aneurysm. Brain 82: 276–291
Crosato F, Terzian H (1952) Pathogenesis of dissecting aneurysms of the aorta. Arch Pathol 53:142–153
Perier O, Cauchie O, Demanet JC (1964) Hématome intra-mural par dissection pariétale (“anévrysme disséquant”) tu tronc basilaire. Acta Neurol Belg 64:1064–1074
Perier O, Brihaye J, Dhaene R (1966) Hémo-dissection pariátele oblitérante (“anévrysme disséquent”) de l'artère basilaire. Acta Neurol Belg 66:123–141
Hayman JA, Mc Anderson R (1966) Dissecting aneurysm of the basilar artery. Med J Aust 2:360–361
Campiche R, Anzil A, Zander E (1969) Anévrysme disséquant du tronc basilaire. Arch Suisse Neurol Neurochir Psychiatr 2: 209–233
Brihaye J, Retif J, Jeanmart L (1971) L'obstruction de l'artère basilaire chez le sujet jeune: aspects cliniques et angiographiques. Réflexions étiopathogéniques, à propos de 3 cas. Acta Neurochir 24:143–156
Dourov N, Flament-Durand J (1975) L'hémodissection pariétale oblitérante des vaisseaux intra-crâniens chez le sujet jeune. Etude anatomopathologique et revue de la littérature. Ann Anat Pathol (Paris) 20:7–22
Hirsch CS, Roessmann U (1975) Arterial dysplasia with ruptured basilar artery aneurysm. Report of a case. Human Pathol 6:749–758
Latchaw RE, Seegr JF, Gabrielsen TO (1974) Vertebro basilar occlusion in children. Neuroradiology 8:141
Scolefield BG (1924) A case of dissecting aneurysm of the basilar artery. Guy's Hosp Report 74:485–487
Yonas H, Agamanolis D, Takaoka Y, White RJ (1977) Dissecting intracranial aneurysms. Surg Neurol 8:407–415
Hyland HH (1933) Thrombosis of the intracranial arteries. Arch Neurol Psychiatr 80:342–356
Escourolle R, Gautier JC, Rosa A, Der Agopian P, Lhermitte F (1973) Anévrysme disséquant vertébro-basilaire. Rev Neurol (Paris) 128:95–104
Bostrom K, Liliequist B (1967) Primary dissecting aneurysm of the extracranial part of the internal carotid and vertebral arteries: report of three cases. Neurology 17:179–186
Ringel SP, Harrison SH, Norenberg (1977) Fibromuscular hyperplasia: multiple spontaneous dissecting aneurysms of the major cervical arteries. Ann Neurol 1:301–304
Pasquier B, Couderc P, Pasquier D, Panh MH, N'Golet A, Pellat J (1976) Hémodissection pariétale oblitérante ou anévrysme disséquant vertébro-basilaire. Sem Hop Paris 52: 2519–2527
Pasquier B, N'Golet A, Pasquier D, Panh MH, Couderc P, Crouzet G (1979) Hémodissection vertébro-basilaire: une observation anatomo-clinique avec fibrodysplasie de l'artère vertébrale gauche. Sem Hop Paris 55:487–488
Contamin F, Hauw JJ, Singer B, Josset P, Bianco C, Mignot B, Tran Dinh Y, Metzger J (1982) Syndrome de Wallenberg par hémodissection (anévrysme disséquant) de l'artère vertébrale. Rev Neurol 138:337–344
Redondo-Marco JA, Walb D (1967) Zur Frage des Aneurysma dissecans am intrakraniellen Gefäßsystem. Acta Neurochir 16:278–290
Bradac GB, Kaernbach A, Bolk-Weuschedel D, Finck GA (1981) Spontaneous dissecting aneurysm of cervical cerebral arteries. Neuroradiology 21:149–154
Bradac GB, Oberson R (1979) Angiography in cerebro-arterial occlusive diseases. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Goldstein ST (1982) Dissecting hematoma of the cervical vertebral artery. Case report. J Neurosurg 56:451–454
Senter HJ, Sarwar M (1982) Nontraumatic dissecting aneurysm of the vertebral artery. Case report. J Neurosurg 56: 128–130
Ouchi H, Ohara I, Iwabuchi T, Suzuki J (1965) Dissecting aneurysm of the extra-cranial portion of the vertebral artery. Vasc Dis 2:340–344
Fischer CM, Ojemann RG, Rogerson GH (1978) Spontaneous dissection of cervicocerebral arteries. Can J Neurol Sci 5:9–19
Vega Molina J, Chiras J, Bories J (1985) Fibro-muscular hyperplasia of the vertebral artery (in press)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chiras, J., Marciano, S., Molina, J.V. et al. Spontaneous dissecting aneurysm of the extracranial vertebral artery (20 cases). Neuroradiology 27, 327–333 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00339566
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00339566