What is the most common cause of vertebral artery dissection?

[4][5][6]Blunt trauma to the neck is the most common reported precipitating event. Patients with connective tissue disorders are also at increased risk. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is the most common connective tissue disorder that can cause vertebral artery dissection.

What is vertebral artery dissection symptoms?

Download Audio Review. In the case of vertebral artery disease, symptoms may be minimal or severe. Symptoms run the gamut from vertigo, nausea and vomiting, changes in level of consciousness, headache, and speech disturbance as well as obvious severe neurologic deficits.

Can a dissected artery heal?

Although arterial dissections often heal on their own, most children with dissections require treatment to prevent strokes while the dissection heals. The most common therapy for children is an anti-clotting medicine or blood thinner, such as coumadin or aspirin.

Can a vertebral dissection heal itself?

Most dissections of the vertebral arteries heal spontaneously and especially, extracranial VADs generally carry a good prognosis.

What is the meaning of vertebral artery dissection?

Vertebral artery dissection. Vertebral artery dissection, like arterial dissection elsewhere, is a result of blood entering the media through a tear in the intima. It is potentially lethal and can be difficult to diagnose clinically and radiologically.

Is there a link between neck manipulation and vertebral artery dissection?

The link between chiropractic neck manipulation and cervical artery dissection (both the carotid artery and vertebral artery) has been long suspected and has been the source of much litigation and heated debates.

When does vertebral artery dissection cause head pain?

Head pain occurs in 50–75% of all cases of vertebral artery dissection. It tends to be located at the back of the head, either on the affected side or in the middle, and develops gradually. It is either dull or pressure-like in character or throbbing.

Where does the V4 vertebral artery backfill from?

The distal-most segment of the right V4 vertebral artery backfills from the left vertebral artery. There is a filling defect in the tip of the basilar artery, extending into the proximal P1 segment of the right posterior cerebral artery.