Vertebral Artery Injury Following Blunt Trauma to the Cervical Spine Case Report and Literature Review

ABSTRACT

Vertebral artery injury may occur following blunt trauma to the cervical spine and can produce severe neurological deficit. We report upon two patients having vertebral artery injury following blunt trauma to the cervical spine. The first one developed a cerebellar infarct and the second cervical cord ischemia. The possibility of vertebral artery injury should be considered in patients with cervical spine injury, especially in those having a subluxation or fracture of the facet joint. Early signs of vertebral artery injury may be silent. Non-invasive techniques, such as magnetic resonance angiography should be utilized in such cases.