• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.709-718
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• 2017

Objective: This study is a report on a case of cerebellar infarction with vertebrobasilar artery dissection which was improved by Korean medicine. Methods: A 63-year-old man diagnosed with cerebellar infarction with vertebrobasilar artery dissection was admitted to hospital for 86 days and treated with Korean medicine (acupuncture and herbal medicine) and rehabilitation treatment. Clinical symptoms were assessed with a Modified Barthel index, functional independent measurement, Berg balance scale, manual muscle test, and a visual analogue scale. Result: After treatment, the clinical symptoms were improved, and the evaluation index scores (modified Barthel index, functional independent measurement, Berg balance scale) increased. Conclusion: Korean medicine may be a meaningful treatment for patients with cerebellar infarction with vertebrobasilar artery dissection.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.237-240
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• 2023

Dolichoectasia of the intracranial arteries is a rare condition characterized by elongated and tortuous arteries due to progressive destruction of the vessel walls. Although most patients present with cerebrovascular accidents, our patient presented with intractable facial pain along the distribution of the trigeminal nerve. Clinical examination revealed involvement of the 5th, 7th, and 8th cranial nerves, and subsequent MRI showed dolichoectasia of the left basilar artery. The patient experienced symptomatic relief after a trial of carbamazepine along with botulinum toxin injections.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.131-135
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• 2008

Objective : Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is considered as a reversible pathophysiological condition mainly induced by continuous vascular compression of the facial nerve root exit zone (REZ) at the cerebellopontine angle. As an offending vessel, vertebrobasilar artery tends to compress much more heavily than others. The authors analyzed HFS caused by vertebrobasilar artery and described the relationships between microsurgical findings and clinical courses. Methods : Out of 1,798 cases treated with microvascular decompression (MVD) from Jan. 1980 to Dec. 2004. the causative vessels were either vertebral artery or basilar artery in 87 patients. Seventy-nine patients were enrolled in this study. Preoperatively, computed tomography (CT) or brain magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with 3-dimentional short range MR technique was performed and CT was checked immediately or 2-3 days after anesthetic recovery. The authors retrospectively analyzed the clinical features. the compression patterns of the vessels at the time of surgery and treatment outcomes. Results : There were 47 were male and 32 female patients. HFS developed on the left side in 52 cases and on the right side in 27. The mean age of onset was 52.3 years (range 19-60) and the mean duration of symptoms was 10.7 years. Many patients (39 cases; 49.1%) had past history of hypertension. HFS caused only by the vertebral artery was 8 cases although most of the other cases were caused by vertebral artery (VA) in combination with its branching arteries. Most frequently, the VA and the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) were the simultaneous causative blood vessels comprising 32 cases (40.5%). and in 27 cases (34.2 %) the VA and the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) were the offenders. Facial symptoms disappeared in 61 cases (77.2%) immediately after the operation and 68 cases (86.1%) showed good outcome after 6 months. Surgical outcome just after the operation was poor in whom the perforators arose from the offending vessels concurrently (p<0.05). Conclusion : In case where the vertebral artery is a cause of HFS, commonly branching arteries associated with main arterial compression on facial REZ requires more definite treatment for proper decompression because of its relatively poor results compared to the condition caused by other vascular compressive origins.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.400-404
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• 2016

We report a case of acute ischemic stroke involving both the anterior and posterior circulation associated with a persistent primitive trigeminal artery (PPTA), treated by endovascular revascularization for acute basilar artery (BA) occlusion via the PPTA. An otherwise healthy 67-year-old man experienced sudden loss of consciousness and quadriplegia. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an extensive acute infarction in the right cerebral hemisphere, and magnetic resonance angiography showed occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery (MCA) and BA. Because the volume of infarction in the territory of the right MCA was extensive, we judged the use of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator to be contraindicated. Cerebral angiography revealed hypoplasia of both vertebral arteries and the presence of a PPTA from the right internal carotid artery. A microcatheter was introduced into the BA via the PPTA and revascularization was successfully performed using a Merci Retriever with adjuvant low-dose intraarterial urokinase. After treatment, his consciousness level and right motor weakness improved. Although persistent carotid-vertebrobasilar anastomoses such as a PPTA are relatively rare vascular anomalies, if the persistent primitive artery is present, it can be an access route for mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.239-242
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• 2013

Spontaneous bilateral cerebellar infarction in the territory of the superior cerebellar arteries is extremely rare. Occasionally there have been reports of bilateral cerebellar infarction due to vertebrobasilar atherosclerotic occlusion or stenosis, whereas no report of bilateral cerebellar infarction due to complicated hemodynamic changes. In this report, we present a patient with bilateral cerebral infarctions related to stenoses of bilateral internal carotid arteries, in whom vertebrobasilar system was supplied by multiple collaterals from both posterior communicating arteries and right external carotid artery. We performed stent-angioplasty of bilateral internal cerebral arterial stenosis, and then acute infarction developed on bilateral superior cerebellar artery territories. The authors assumed that the infarction occurred due to hemodynamic change between internal carotid artery and external carotid artery after stent-angioplasty for stenosis of right internal carotid artery.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.115-120
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• 2015

PURPOSE: Vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI) should be carefully assessed in patient for whom manipulation of the cervical spine is to be undertaken. The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in posterior cerebral artery blood flow velocity following head and body positioning by transcranial doppler ultrasonography (TCD) in healthy subjects. METHODS: Twenty two healthy female (mean age $20.77{\pm}1.30yrs.$) participants volunteered to participate in the study. None of the participants had a history of neck pain or headache within the last 6 months. To evaluate the cerebral blood flow, we measured the mean flow velocity of the posterior cerebral artery unilaterally (right side). The blood flow velocity was measured under 3 different head positions (in a neutral head position, ipsilateral head rotation and contralateral head rotation position) and 2 different body conditions (supine position and sitting position). RESULTS: The mean blood flow velocity of posterior cerebral artery was decreased in body positioning from supine to sitting (p<.05), but the decreased rate of blood flow velocity in posterior cerebral artery did not change significantly between ipsilateral head rotation and contralateral head rotation (p>.05). CONCLUSION: These result of our study show that body positioning (sitting and supine) affect the blood flow velocity in posterior cerebral artery.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.243-245
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• 2013

Bow hunter's syndrome (BHS) is rare cause of vertebrobasilar insufficiency that arises from mechanical compression of the vertebral artery by head rotation. There is no standardized diagnostic regimen or treatment of BHS. Recently, we experienced 2 cases resisted continues medication and treated by surgical approach. In both cases, there were no complications after surgery and there were improvements in clinical symptoms. Thus, we describe our cases with surgical decompression with a review of the relevant medical literature.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.355-359
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• 2006

Objective : The purpose of our study is to examine the clinical significance of vertebrobasilar artery[VBA] fenestration and duplication. In addition, we review its incidence and pathogenesis. Methods : Cerebral angiography was performed in 803 patients and magnetic resonance angiography[MRA] in 880; the patients had or were suspected to have cerebrovascular disease. We retrospectively reviewed angiography and MRA. Results : Fifteen patients [eight men, seven women, 3 to 77 years of age, median age = 58 years] had a VBA fenestration and duplication. Seven [7/803 = 0.87%] of the patients undergoing cerebral angiography revealed fenestrations and one duplication of VBA. Ten patients [10/880 = 114%] among 880 patients that underwent MRA demonstrated fenestration of basilar artery[BA]. Two of 66 patients that underwent both conventional cerebral angiography and cranial MRA showed a fenestration of BA. Twelve fenestrations were located in the proximal portion of the BA and one was in the mid portion of the BA. One vertebral artery[VA] fenestration was located in the intracranial portion of the right VA, and one VA duplication was at the level of $C_{1-2}$ in the left VA. Conclusion : In addition to medial defects, flow phenomena at the proximal end of fenestrations, where hemodynamic stress and increased turbulence are present, may contribute to aneurysm formation. And arterial fenestration is a predisposing factor in vascular injury and cerebral ischemia.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.134-136
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• 2010

Bow hunter's stroke is a rare symptomatic vertebrobasilar insufficiency in which vertebral artery (VA) is mechanically occluded during head rotation. Various pathologic conditions have been reported as causes of bow hunter's stroke. However, bow hunter's stroke caused by facet hypertrophy of C1-2 has not been reported. A 71-year-old woman presented with symptoms of vertebrobasilar insufficiency. Spine computed tomography showed massive facet hypertrophy on the left side of C1-2 level. A VA angiogram with her head rotated to the right revealed significant stenosis of left VA. C1-2 posterior fixation and fusion was performed to prevent serious neurologic deficit from vertebrobasilar stroke.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.157-160
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• 2020

A 38-year-old woman presented with a week's history of binocular horizontal double vision and acute vertigo with gaze-induced nystagmus. We considered a diagnosis of one of the six syndromes of the sixth cranial nerve and evaluated several causes. She had history of severe anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency, and hypertension. Magnetic resonance imaging with angiography showed stenosis of the right vertebral artery and hyperintensity on both basal ganglia. As we describe here, we should consider vertebrobasilar insufficiency as a cause for sixth cranial nerve palsy if a patient has high risk for microvascular ischemia, even in the absence of acute brain hemorrhage or infarction.