Vascular Decompression of a Vertebral Artery Loop Producing Cervical Radiculopathy

Department

neurosurgery

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Vertebral artery tortuosity and loop formation are rare causes of cervical radiculopathy. The authors present the case of a 70-year-old man with 9 years of progressive right-sided cervical and scapular pain but no history of trauma. Computerized tomography myelography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed an ovoid mass in the right C3-4 intervertebral foramen. The patient underwent a right C-3 and C-4 hemilaminectomy and a complete C3-4 facetectomy. A pulsatile vascular structure was found compressing the right C-4 nerve root. The bone overlying the vascular structure was removed, producing decompression of the nerve root. Immediate postoperative angiography showed that this lesion was a focal vertebral artery loop. The patient's symptoms resolved after surgery, supporting the use of vascular decompression of a cervical nerve root compressed by a vertebral artery loop for the relief of radicular symptoms.

Publication Date

1998

Publication Title

Journal of Neurosurgery

ISSN

0022-3085

Volume

89

Issue

3

First Page

485

Last Page

488

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.3171/jns.1998.89.3.0485

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