Surgical management of cervical radiculopathy caused by redundant vertebral artery loop

J Neurosurg Spine. 2012 Oct;17(4):337-41. doi: 10.3171/2012.7.SPINE123. Epub 2012 Aug 17.

Abstract

In this article, the authors describe the case of a 27-year-old female presenting with a 2-year history of neck pain and radiculopathy attributable to compression of the right C-7 nerve root by tortuosity of the vertebral artery at the level of the C6-7 cervical foramina. An anterolateral approach to the transverse foramen was used to perform a vascular decompression to decompress the nerve root. The procedure was uneventful, and the patient woke up with almost all of her symptoms resolved. The authors also include a literature review of techniques performed in this setting, showing that multiple surgical approaches can be used and should be tailored to the patient symptoms and lesion characteristics.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Decompression, Surgical / methods*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Neck Pain / pathology
  • Neck Pain / surgery*
  • Radiculopathy / etiology
  • Radiculopathy / surgery*
  • Spinal Nerve Roots / pathology
  • Spinal Nerve Roots / surgery*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vertebral Artery / abnormalities
  • Vertebral Artery / pathology
  • Vertebral Artery / surgery*