CEREBELLAR INFARCTION FROM A TRAUMATIC VERTEBRAL ARTERY DISSECTION INA CHILD

Infarction due to vertebral dissection is a rarely reported event in c hildren. We describe the clinical presentation, radiological findings and surgical treatment of a child with cerebellar infarction resulting from a traumatic vertebral artery dissection, Review of the literatur e on stroke due to a vertebral artery dissection in the pediatric popu lation shows that trauma is a common preceding event, Although the mos t common site of traumatic vertebral artery dissection is at C1-2 leve l, our case illustrates that the vertebral artery dissection may also involve the lower cervical segment. We emphasize that vertebral artery dissection should be considered in a child with acute symptoms and si gns of posterior circulation ischemia and that MRI and MR angiography may be helpful in the diagnosis of infarction and vertebral artery dis section.