Bilateral Vertebral Artery Dissection after a Chiropractic Therapy Session

Vertebral artery dissection (VAD) is a rare and sometimes unrecognized cause of stroke in patients younger than 45 years. Herein, we describe a very rare case of bilateral vertebral artery dissection after a session of cervical therapy manipulation (chiropractic).

Vertebral artery dissection (VAD) is a rare and sometimes unrecognized cause of stroke in patients younger than 45 years. Herein, we describe a very rare case of bilateral vertebral artery dissection after a session of cervical therapy manipulation (chiropractic).

Spinous process fractures after chiropractic massage in a previously healthy subject / Fratura de processo espinhoso após terapia quiroprática em um indivíduo previamente saudável

Increasing available alternative therapies to the treatment of back pain and sometimes difficult access to specialized medical evaluations allowed a widespread use of alternative therapies for the treatment of back pain. We describe a case with a consequence of massage therapy in a patient with initial symptoms of back pain resulting in spinous process fractures. She promptly searched medical attendance and cervical plain radiograph revealed avulsion of spinous processes of C6 and C7 in their outer third. Due to benign nature of lesion, without evidence of instability and spinal cord injury, the subject was managed conservatively, with application of a Philadelphia collar and analgesic medication. We reinforce the needof medical attention before beginning any therapeutic method in order to identify previous alterations and plan an adequate programming.

A disponibilidade de terapias alternativas para o tratamento da dor lombar e o difícil acesso a serviço médico especializado têm permitido um uso indiscriminado de terapias para o tratamento dessa dor. Descrevemos um caso de uma paciente submetida à terapia quiroprática por causa de dor cervical que evoluiu posteriormente com persistência da dor. A investigação radiológica evidenciou fratura com avulsão de processos espinhosos de C6 e C7. Por causa da natureza estável da lesão, o caso foi conduzido conservadoramente com colar Philadelphia, no entanto reforçamos a necessidade do correto diagnóstico da dor de coluna espinhal, especialmente se persistente e associada a sinais localizatórios.

A Case of Central Retinal Artery Occlusion after Chiropractic Manipulation of the Neck

Here we report a case of central retinal artery occlusion after chiropractic manipulation on the neck. A 49-year old man presented at the hospital because of sudden visual loss in his right eye after chiropractic neck manipulation. He had received chiropractic manipulation of the neck by a chiropractor eight days prior. When he first visited us, his best corrected visual acuity in his right eye was hand motion. A full ophthalmic examination was performed. There was cherry-red spot in the macula in his right eye. We performed a fluorescein angiogram and cervical color Doppler. The arterio-venous transit time in the fluorescein angiogram was delayed, and we detected stenosis of the right internal carotid artery with diffuse atherosclerotic plaques in the right common carotid artery. We prescribed ginko biloba extract (Tanamin). Three years after his first visit, the best corrected visual acuity of his right eye was 20 / 200.