# Traumatic Vertebral Artery Dissection Without Cervical Spine Injury Treated by Mechanical Thrombectomy

## TL;DR

A woman with a traumatic vertebral artery dissection causing brain artery blockage was successfully treated with mechanical thrombectomy.

## Contribution

First reported case of traumatic vertebral artery dissection causing basilar artery occlusion treated with mechanical thrombectomy without cervical spine injury.

## Key findings

- Mechanical thrombectomy achieved complete recanalization of the basilar artery occlusion.
- Anticoagulation therapy prevented recurrence of dissection or occlusion during follow-up.
- Traumatic VAD can cause BAO without cervical vertebral fracture in adults.

## Abstract

A 59-year-old female injured in a motor vehicle accident presented with progressively impaired consciousness, and emergent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed basilar artery occlusion (BAO). Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) was performed immediately and achieved complete recanalization. Contrast-enhanced MRI also indicated right vertebral artery dissection (VAD), and the patient was subsequently diagnosed with artery-to-artery embolism caused by traumatic VAD. Anticoagulation therapy was initiated postoperatively, and there was no VAD or BAO recurrence during the three-month follow-up. This is the first reported case of BAO caused by traumatic VAD in an adult without accompanying cervical vertebral fracture treated using MT.