A few days after a judo session, an 11-year-old boy presented with an ischemic stroke with dizziness, aphasia and ataxia. CCT scan revealed a left thalamic infarct. Angiography showed a fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) of the left vertebral artery probably complicated by dissection. Subsequent evolution was favorable. This observation points out the fact that the association of a cervical pain with neurological signs of vertebrobasilar stroke, especially occurring after a cervical trauma or rotatory motion, should alert to the possibility of vertebral-artery dissection. The diagnosis is mainly based on angiographic criteria. Accurate diagnosis has implications for prognosis and probably for acute medical treatment.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Lannuzel et al. (1994) studied this question.