Iatrogenic vertebral artery injury secondary to vessel tortuosity in a grossly degenerate cervical spine

Abstract

Iatrogenic vertebral artery (VA) injury is a rare but significant complication of anterior cervical spine surgery. In the grossly degenerate cervical spine the VA may adopt a tortuous pathway thus predisposing to inadvertent injury during surgery. Here we illustrate such a case and discuss potential management strategies.

Keywords::

• Iatrogenic
• tortuous vertebral artery
• vertebral artery injury
• vertebrectomy

Declaration of interest: The authors report no declarations of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.