Vertebral artery dissection

Vertebral artery dissection is the development of dissection (a flap-like tear) in the vertebral artery. It is commonly associated with physical trauma but may also develop spontaneously. It is a major cause of stroke in young people.

Presentation
Typical features are pain in the neck associated with stroke-like symptoms of the "posterior circulation": cranial nerve palsies, ataxia, and cortical visual loss. It can also cause subarachnoid hemorrhage (bleeding into the area around the brain); dissecting aneurysms of the vertebral artery represent about 4% of all aneurysms.

Incidence
The annual incidence is about 1 per 100,000 in America and 1.5 per 100,000 in France.