A systematic review of penetrating extracranial vertebral artery injuries

Background: Extracranial vertebral artery disease is seen in patients with internal carotid artery stenosis although the clinical significance not well understood. Methods: We analyzed data that was collected as part of the Stent-Protected Angioplasty versus Carotid Endarterectomy (SPACE) trial which recruited patients with recently symptomatic internal carotid artery stenosis. We used Cox proportional hazards analysis to compare the relative risk of various endpoints between the three categories of extracranial vertebral artery disease (normal/hypoplastic, moderate/severe stenosis, and occlusion). The multivariate analyses were adjusted for age, gender, basic demographics and severity of carotid stenosis. Results: Of the 1181 subjects who had extracranial vertebral artery ultrasound evaluation, moderate to severe stenosis and occlusion of one of both extracranial vertebral arteries was diagnosed in 152(12.9%) and 57(4.8%) subjects, respectively. During the mean follow up period (±SD) of 22.1±7.1 months 102(8.6%) and 60(5.1%) experienced a stroke or died, respectively. Compared with subjects with normal or hypoplastic vertebral artery, there was a non-significant 30% higher risk of any stroke among subjects with moderate to severe vertebral artery stenosis (relative risk [RR]1.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]0.7-2.3) after adjusting for potential confounders. There was a 40% and 50% higher risk of ipsilateral stroke (RR 1.4, 95% CI0.7-2.5) and death (RR 1.5, 95% CI 0.7-3.1) among subjects with moderate to severe vertebral artery stenosis after adjusting for potential confounders. In Kaplan Meir analysis, the estimated 1 and 2 year stroke free survival for subjects with moderate to severe vertebral artery stenosis was 88% (standard error [SE]2.6%). In comparison, the estimated 1 and 2 year stroke free survival for subjects with normal or hypoplastic vertebral artery was 92.5%(SE0.8%)and 91.6%(SE0.9), respectively. Conclusions: There appears to be an increased risk of stroke and death in patients with symptomatic internal carotid artery stenosis with concurrent asymptomatic extracranial vertebral artery stenosis.

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Giant Pseudoaneurysm of the Extracranial Vertebral Artery Successfully Treated Using Intraoperative Balloon Catheters

Neurosurgery ◽

10.1227/00006123-199105000-00019 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 28 (5) ◽

pp. 738-742 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Junya Hanakita ◽

Hideyuki Suwa ◽

Kiyoshi Nishihara ◽

Koji Iihara ◽

Hiroshi Sakaida

Keyword(s):

Vertebral Artery ◽

Cardiac Pacemaker ◽

Innominate Artery ◽

Anatomical Location ◽

High Morbidity ◽

Vertebrobasilar System ◽

Balloon Catheters ◽

Extracranial Vertebral Artery ◽

The Right ◽

Giant Pseudoaneurysm

Abstract Traumatic pseudoaneurysms of the extracranial vertebral artery rarely occur, because of its deeply protected anatomical location. Because the direct surgical approach has resulted in high morbidity and mortality rates, ligation of the vertebral artery has been adopted, but this can cause an ischemia in the vertebrobasilar system. We report the case of a 73-year-old woman with a huge pseudoaneurysm of the right vertebral artery that occurred after attempted placement of a cardiac pacemaker. The aneurysm was 7 x 7 x 5 cm in size and its neck was situated just distal to the right subclavian artery. Direct surgical repair of the injured vessel and removal of the aneurysm were successfully performed using balloon catheters placed intraoperatively in both the innominate artery and the right vertebral artery.

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