Traumatic posterior cerebral artery occlusion in a 14-month-old child

Following a head injury, a 14-month-old male presented with neck stiffness and 24 hours later developed bilateral lateral rectus palsies. An unenhanced cerebral computed tomographic scan performed on admission revealed evidence of subarachnoid hemorrhage, cerebral edema, and mild-to-moderate compensated supratentorial hydrocephalus. A second scan performed 96 hours after the head injury revealed a mural thrombus at the tip of the basilar artery without any evidence of infarction. A third scan performed 12 days later revealed that the thrombus had resolved. However, a left posterior cerebral artery territory infarct was visualized. We postulate that the thrombus had embolized to the left posterior cerebral artery and caused occlusion of its cortical branch and subsequent infarction. A magnetic resonance angiography performed 20 days later excluded any vascular abnormality. The bilateral lateral rectus palsies persisted at the 6-month follow-up. To our knowledge, a head injury leading to a posterior cerebral artery territory infarct has not been reported earlier in a young child.     

Intracranial occlusion of the internal carotid artery after minor closed head injury]

Thrombosis of the extracranial portion of the internal carotid artery as a result of nonpenetrating head and neck injury is not uncommon. However, intracranial occlusion of the internal carotid artery after minor head and neck injury without skull fracture is rare. We report a case of 14-year-old male who suffered a minor head injury during an athletic meeting of his school and developed a right hemiparesis and a lethargy state resulting from thrombosis of the supraclinoid portion of the left internal carotid artery. On admission, skull films and a CT scan revealed no abnormality. One hour later, he fully recovered. One day later, no definite lesions were detected on T1-weighted and T2-weighted image of MRI, but an abnormal high signal lesion in the left frontal lobe was detected on diffusion-weighted image of MRI. On additional MR angiography, intracranial occlusion of the internal carotid artery due to dissection was demonstrated.     

Traumatic occlusion of both internal carotid arteries

Summary Two cases of bilateral occlusion of the extracranial internal carotid artery after blunt trauma to the head and neck are presented. Sixteen similar cases have been reported in the literature, and at least 150 case reports exist on unilateral blunt trauma of carotid arteries. The 25-day post-traumatic latent interval in one of our cases is the longest to date. The diagnosis of both of our cases was established by directional cw-Dopplersonography, whereas previously the only diagnostic method available in cases with negative CT scan and latent interval was angiography. In the differential diagnosis of craniocerebral or craniocervical trauma, particularly following delay between injury and onset of neurological symptoms, Dopplersonography is a necessary test additional.     

Posttraumatic cerebral infarction due to progressive occlusion of the internal carotid artery after minor head injury in childhood: a case report

Purpose  

Although minor head injury in childhood is a common occurrence and usually no complications, posttraumatic cerebral infarction has rarely been reported. Such infarction is characterized by occlusion of the lateral lenticulostriate artery. The authors report an atypical case of posttraumatic occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA) after minor head injury in childhood.     

Bilateral Superior Cerebellar Artery Infarction after Stent-Angioplasty for Internal Carotid Artery Stenosis

Spontaneous bilateral cerebellar infarction in the territory of the superior cerebellar arteries is extremely rare. Occasionally there have been reports of bilateral cerebellar infarction due to vertebrobasilar atherosclerotic occlusion or stenosis, whereas no report of bilateral cerebellar infarction due to complicated hemodynamic changes. In this report, we present a patient with bilateral cerebral infarctions related to stenoses of bilateral internal carotid arteries, in whom vertebrobasilar system was supplied by multiple collaterals from both posterior communicating arteries and right external carotid artery. We performed stent-angioplasty of bilateral internal cerebral arterial stenosis, and then acute infarction developed on bilateral superior cerebellar artery territories. The authors assumed that the infarction occurred due to hemodynamic change between internal carotid artery and external carotid artery after stent-angioplasty for stenosis of right internal carotid artery.     

Reproducibility of cerebral cortical infarction in the wistar rat after middle cerebral artery occlusion

Although middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion in the rat is often used to study focal cerebral ischemia, the model of ischemia affects the size and reproducibility of infarction. The purpose of this experiment was to methodically examine different preparations to determine the optimum focal cerebral ischemia model to produce a reproducible severe ischemic injury. Eighty-two Wistar rats underwent either 1 hour, 3 hour, or permanent MCA occlusion combined with no, unilateral, or bilateral common carotid artery artery (CCA) occlusion. Three days after ischemia, the animals were prepared for tetrazolium chloride assessment of infarction size. One-hour MCA occlusion produced a coefficient of variation (CV) of 200% with an infarction volume of 20.3+/-10.5 mm(3). Adding unilateral or bilateral CCA occlusion resulted in a CV of 134% and 101%, respectively. Three-hour MCA occlusion combined with bilateral CCA occlusion decreased the CV to 58% with a cortical infarction volume of 82.6+/-12.1 mm(3), P<05, compared with 1-hour MCA occlusion with or without CCA occlusion. Permanent MCA occlusion combined with 3 hours of bilateral CCA occlusion resulted in a CV of 47% with a cortical infarction volume of 89.6+/-16.0 mm(3). These results indicate that 3-hour MCA occlusion combined with bilateral CCA occlusion provide consistently a large infarction volume after temporary focal cerebral ischemia.     

Bilateral vertebral artery occlusion associated with atlantoaxial dislocation due to os odontoideum]

A 17-year-old boy was hospitalized with transient consciousness disturbance on extension of the neck. At seven years of age, the patient developed delayed-onset posterior circulation stroke after the door struck him a mild blow on his forehead. A computed tomography scan revealed right cerebellar infarction with unknown etiology. He had been followed up without stroke recurrence and CT change until this hospitalization. Cerebral angiography disclosed bilateral vertebral artery occlusion at the C-2 level with the well-developed muscular collateral artery bypassing the occluded left vertebral artery. A cervical X-ray showed a posterior atlanto-axial subluxation with os odontoideum. Compression of the vertebral arteries due to mild trauma aggravating an atlanto-axial subluxation may have caused the bilateral vertebral artery thrombosis resulting in occlusion, and disturbance of the muscular collateral circulation on extension of the neck may have led to the recurrence of vertebrobasilar insufficiency. This is the first report of the angiographically confirmed bilateral vertebral artery occlusion with an established etiology in childhood.     

Spontaneous bilateral anterior cerebral artery occlusion resulting in akinetic mutism. A case report

An unusual case concerning a patient with akinetic mutism (AM) due to spontaneous bilateral anterior cerebral artery occlusion is reported. Brain CT scan revealed the presence of mild low density foci presenting an irregular enhancement, which followed the distribution of mesial frontal gyri and paracentral lobulus, bilaterally. Right and left carotid angiographies showed bilateral occlusion of the anterior cerebral artery. Our case is characterized by an exclusive localization of the infarction in the frontal cortex. This finding suggests that a limited damage involving the anterior cerebral arteries territory could be, on its own, responsible for the AM syndrome.     

Optico-cerebral syndrome: simultaneous hemodynamic infarction of optic nerve and brain

Three (0.5%) of 612 patients with an acute ischemic stroke in the carotid territory also had ipsilateral optic nerve infarction. They had unilateral or bilateral internal carotid artery occlusion and reversed flow in the ophthalmic artery. Hemodynamic infarction was suggested by triggering by a drop in blood pressure, decreased ophthalmic artery flow and perfusion pressure, and cerebral infarction in a watershed area. The "optico-cerebral syndrome" suggests internal carotid artery occlusion with hemodynamic disturbances. In carotid disease, monocular blindness may be due to an optic nerve lesion sparing the retina.     

Multiple aneurysms associated with bilateral carotid occlusion and venous angioma: surgical management risk-case report.

A unique case of multiple aneurysms associated with bilateral carotid artery occlusion and venous angioma is described. A 42 year old female presented with subarachnoid haemorrhage. Cerebral angiograms demonstrated(1) a ruptured saccular aneurysm in the right posterior cerebral artery,(2) bilateral occlusion of internal carotid arteries,(3) a rete mirabile in the subtemporal fossa fed by left external carotid artery which connected with the internal carotid artery at the cavernous portion where a saccular aneurysm had formed, and(4) a venous angioma in the posterior fossa. The ruptured aneurysm of the posterior cerebral artery was obliterated preserving the anterior choroidal arteries. However, a left hemiparesis developed and CT scan revealed a small low density area in the right posterior limb of the internal capsule postoperatively. A ruptured aneurysm associated with bilateral extracranial carotid occlusion poses a clinical dilemma and treatment of such cases is challenging and difficult. The non-surgical and surgical outcomes of ruptured cerebral aneurysms associated with internal carotid occlusion are reviewed.     

小脑后下动脉解剖变异致双侧小脑梗死2例报道并文献复习

目的 探讨小脑后下动脉(posterior inferior cerebellar artery, PICA)解剖变异致双侧小脑梗死的临床特征及发病机制。方法 对2例经颅脑MRI确诊的双侧小脑梗死患者采用CT血管造影(CTA)、磁共振血管成像(MRA)或数字减影血管造影(DSA)显示其头颈部血管,从而了解后循环血管的形态特征并复习相关文献。结果 病例1经DSA证实左侧椎动脉较细,远端管腔闭塞,通过右椎动脉代偿供血原左侧PICA供血区但欠充分,双侧PICA共同起源于右侧椎动脉。病例2经CTA证实右侧椎动脉较左侧明显细且远端显示欠清,MRA示双侧PICA共同起源于左侧椎动脉。结论 2例双侧小脑梗死患者均存在一侧椎动脉优势供血,且双侧PICA共同起源于该侧椎动脉。在该解剖变异基础上一侧椎动脉发生病变时可出现双侧小脑梗死。因此,在临床中出现双侧小脑梗死时临床医师不能忽略这一解剖变异基础。     

Delayed symptoms and death after minor head trauma with occult vertebral artery injury.

Head injury without loss of consciousness is seldom accompanied by grave complications. We report the case of an 18 year old cyclist who was struck by a car in a minor road traffic accident, suffered minor head injury without loss of consciousness, and died unexpectedly seven weeks later with vomiting and coma. Necropsy revealed an expanding cerebellar infarct and vertebral artery thrombosis, superimposed on an old dissecting intramural haematoma of the right vertebral artery in the atlantoaxial region. Vertebrobasilar occlusion after minor head trauma, hyperextending or rotating neck injury, or neck manipulation is commonest in young people. Occult ligamentous injury to the cervical spine after trauma may be a contributing factor to the pathogenesis of vertebral artery damage after injury to the neck.     

STA–MCA bypass for symptomatic carotid occlusion and haemodynamic impairment

Patients with carotid artery occlusion and haemodynamic insufficiency have a high risk of stroke. Cerebral revascularization surgery improves cerebral blood flow, but it remains unclear whether this reduces the risk of stroke. This study assesses the long-term outcome of patients undergoing superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery (STA–MCA) bypass for symptomatic carotid occlusion. The long-term clinical follow-up and haemodynamic reserve, measured by ⁹⁹Technetium single photon emission computed tomography (Tc99 SPECT) scan with acetazolamide challenge, were reviewed for 19 consecutive patients before and after STA–MCA bypass. The stroke rate after bypass surgery was 8% per year. In patients waiting for surgery, the stroke rate was 18% per year. Cerebral perfusion assessed with SPECT scan improved in 88% of patients. These results are consistent with the high risks of haemodynamic infarction in untreated patients and a benefit from revascularization surgery. The percentage annual stroke risk compares favourably with an 18% rate reported for patients with internal carotid artery occlusion and impaired cerebrovascular reserve.     

儿童外伤性脑梗死的病因分析

目的:分析儿童外伤后发生脑梗死的病因。方法:对外伤后出现偏瘫的150例儿童进行脑CT扫描,其中60例使用超声检查颈动脉。结果:全部CT显示低密度脑梗死病变,70％位于基底节区。51例超声探及颈动脉内膜损伤.彩色多普勒血流显像(CDFl)探测到局部充盈缺损41例。损伤部位在颈总动脉15例、颈内动脉36例,合并血栓形成39例。结论:儿童外伤时容易发生颈部动脉内膜损伤,局部形成血栓,血栓脱落后栓塞颅内动脉造成脑梗死。     

Acute aortic dissection mimicking basilar artery occlusion in a patient presenting with sudden coma

A 77-year-old female suddenly became comatose. Examination at the emergency room revealed stable vital signs and bilateral positive plantar reflexes but absent brainstem reflexes. Basilar artery occlusion was initially diagnosed and recombinant tissue plasminogen activator was administered. However, her blood pressure dropped after thrombolysis. A chest CT scan showed aortic dissection extending to the bilateral common carotid arteries. Her follow-up brain CT scan disclosed infarctions over bilateral carotid territories without brainstem involvement. Aortic dissection should be listed as a possible diagnosis in a patient who presents with a sudden coma mimicking basilar artery occlusion. Detailed clinical examination and discussion might lead to the correct diagnosis and avoid inadvertent thrombolysis in the emergency room.     

Bilateral traumatic extracranial aneurysms of the internal carotid artery with delayed brain infarction

Summary A 24-year-old woman with a left-sided cerebral infarction presented with hemiplegia and aphasia. Five months earlier she had had a closed head injury. Angiography revealed bilateral extracranial post-traumatic aneurysms of the internal carotid artery at the atlanto-axial level. There was full recovery without operative treatment within a week.     

儿童外伤后脑梗塞32例分析

目的：结合文献分析探讨儿童外伤后脑梗塞的发病机理和治疗效果。方法：总结３２例经ＣＴ证实的儿童外伤后脑梗塞的临床、影像学表现、治疗结果和预后。结果：儿童外伤后脑梗塞多发生于一侧基底节区，临床表现和ＣＴ扫描结果与腔隙性脑梗塞相似，但有明确的外伤史，治疗效果较好，随访６个月９４％痊愈。结论：儿童外伤后脑梗塞的发病机理是由于儿童基底节区供血的大脑前、中动脉的穿支动脉直角从主干分出，细长迂曲，发育不成熟，调节能力差，在外伤产生脑组织相对运动时，出现血管牵拉、变形、移位，造成血管内膜损伤，形成血栓，梗塞。局部缺血水肿的脑组织又加重了血管压迫。     

"Congenital" Horner''s Syndrome and Carotid Dissection

The authors describe a child presenting with Horner's syndrome after the repeated application of birthing forceps to the head and neck during vaginal delivery. Magnetic resonance imaging and angiography confirmed that the proximal right internal carotid artery (ICA) showed injury caused by dissection. Carotid duplex and transcranial ultrasonography provided supporting evidence of distal right ICA occlusion with the development of intracranial collaterals. The authors interpret these findings to indicate that the child suffered a traumatic dissection of the distal right ICA to mimic "congenital" Horner's syndrome (CHS). In a review of English medical literature published since 1972, the authors found 70 cases of CHS, none of which was attributed to carotid dissection. This case demonstrates that carotid dissection is an underreported cause of CHS.     

数字减影血管造影对缺血性脑血管病诊断及治疗的意义

目的:探讨数字减影血管造影检查(DSA)对缺血性脑血管病血管病变诊断的意义。方法:选取有脑缺血症状的经TCD检查发现血管狭窄的21例病人,行DSA检查。结果:颈内动脉系统TIA患者3例,DSA证实为大脑中动脉狭窄2例,烟雾病1例,椎基底动脉供血不足8例中双侧椎动脉发育不全1例,一侧或双侧椎动脉狭窄5例,锁骨下动脉盗血2例。8例脑梗塞患者中已经出现一侧颈内动脉闭塞的有两例,但均已出现侧枝循环的建立,另6例均为颈内动脉或大脑中动脉的狭窄,2例脑干梗塞患者均有椎动脉的狭窄。结论:数字减影血管造影是评价头颈部血管狭窄、闭塞和选择治疗方案的金标准,它对缺血性脑血管病的进一步治疗起着重要的作用。     

外伤后脑梗死45例临床分析

目的 探讨外伤后脑梗死的病因、治疗方法及效果.方法 总结45例经CT证实的外伤后脑梗死的临床、影像学表现、治结果及预后.结果 外伤后脑梗死的表现因其梗死的部位的不同而不同,但均有脑外伤史,治疗效果好.结论 在外伤后由于脑供血动脉损伤的基础上,加上脑水肿致局部血管的受压、牵拉、痉挛、血液的高凝状态等而使血栓形成,引起脑梗死,综合治疗效果好.