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Case Reports
. 2018 Jul 5:2018:5070712.
doi: 10.1155/2018/5070712. eCollection 2018.

Unilateral Upper Cervical Posterior Spinal Cord Infarction after a Neuroendovascular Intervention: A Case Report

Kareem Elzamly  1 , Christa Nobleza  1 , Ellen Parker  2 , Rebecca Sugg  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Unilateral Upper Cervical Posterior Spinal Cord Infarction after a Neuroendovascular Intervention: A Case Report

Kareem Elzamly et al. Case Rep Neurol Med. .

Abstract

Context: We describe a case of unilateral posterior upper cervical spinal cord infarction and propose a pathophysiologic mechanism causing this lesion after vertebral artery endovascular intervention.

Findings: A 70-year-old male presented with subacute onset of left hemibody sensory changes and gait instability following a left vertebral angioplasty procedure. MRI cervical spine revealed upper posterior cervical spinal cord infarction (PSCI). After 3 months patient had substantial improvement of his symptoms.

Conclusion: PSCI is rare but can present as a complication from vertebral artery angioplasty procedure. Early diagnosis of PSCI can be achieved with adequate understanding of its clinical signs and the blood supply of the spinal cord.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
CTA neck coronal MIP planes, (left panel) showing intraluminal thrombus of V4 segment of left vertebral artery (arrow) before cerebral angiogram. Right panel showing patent V4 segment of left vertebral artery (arrow) with resolution of previously seen thrombus.
Figure 2
Figure 2
MRI Cervical spine axial and sagittal planes, (left panel) showing hyperintensity on diffusion weighted sequence, hypointensity on ADC sequence (middle panel), and hyperintensity on T2 sequence (right panel) indicating acute spinal cord infarction (arrows).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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