VERTEBRAL ARTERY DISSECTION - REPORT OF O NE CASE

Vertebral artery dissection seems to be a frequent cause of stroke in young adults. We report a 34 years old female that suffered a cardiac arrest while practicing aerobics, with complete recovery and four mont hs later developed an acute Wallenberg's syndrome. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an infarction in the right posterolateral medulla oblon gata and in the right cerebellar hemisphere. Angiography revealed an o cclusion of the third segment (V3) of the right vertebral artery which was hypoplastic. The patient was anticoagulated with a favorable clin ical outcome. A follow up angiography, performed six months later, sho wed an incomplete recanalization of the vessel. Vertebral artery disse ction should be suspected in every patient with ischemic symptoms or s igns related to the vertebrobasilar territory, specially in young or m iddle aged patients with a history of trauma. Magnetic resonance imagi ng and ultrasound-doppler examinations are the diagnostic test of choi ce.