Vertebral artery loop--a cause of cervical radiculopathy.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To report a case of cervical radiculopathy caused by an anomalous vertebral artery (VA) and illustrate the efficacy of microvascular decompression by the anterolateral approach.

METHODS:

A 50-year-old woman was referred because of an 8-year history of progressive left C6 radiculopathy refractory to other forms of treatment, including C5-6 anterior cervical discectomy. Clinical and radiologic evaluation showed an abnormally tortuous loop of V2 causing direct neurovascular compression.

RESULTS:

A left cervical anterolateral approach was used to expose the anomalous loop. After a generous bony decompression, the loop was identified, and the artery was mobilized and ultimately separated from the C6 nerve root removing the direct pulsatile compression.

CONCLUSIONS:

Cervical root compression by an aberrant or anomalous extracranial VA is a rare cause of radiculopathy. The best management of such lesions is the anterolateral approach with bony and direct microvascular decompression.

• Authors: Salvatore Chibbaro, Giuseppe Mirone, Muneyoshi Yasuda, Marco Marsella, Paolo Di Emidio, Bernard George
• Journal: World neurosurgery (World Neurosurg) 2012 Sep-Oct Vol. 78 Issue 3-4 Pg. 375.e11-3 ISSN: 1878-8769 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 22381311 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Cerebral Angiography
• Cervical Vertebrae (pathology, surgery)
• Female
• Humans
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Microvascular Decompression Surgery (methods)
• Middle Aged
• Radiculopathy (diagnostic imaging, etiology, surgery)
• Spinal Nerve Roots (pathology, physiopathology, surgery)
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• Vertebral Artery (abnormalities, pathology, surgery)
• Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency (complications, diagnostic imaging, surgery)