VERTEBRAL ARTERY SECTION FOR TREATING ARTERIAL COMPRESSION OF THE MEDULLA-OBLONGATA - CASE-REPORT

A case of a 30-year-old man who showed progressive pyramidal tract sig ns caused by compression of the left vertebral artery is presented. In itial decompression of the vertebral artery by placing a piece of spon ge between the artery and medulla had no long-term effect. The left ve rtebral artery distal to the origin of the posterior inferior cerebell ar artery was then sectioned, decompressing the medulla oblongata. The patient's symptoms improved postoperatively. This is the first report ed case of brain-stem compression by an elongated vertebral artery tre ated by sectioning of the artery.