Introduction The rupture of intracranial aneurysms is associated with severe morbidity and mortality. Prehospital mortality estimates range from 10% to 15% . The rate of rerupture if untreated is 40% over 4 weeks with much of that risk early on;…
Spinal cord strokes are a rare but important differential consideration in central nervous system vascular disease. As in the brain, spinal cord strokes can be divided into two large groups—ischemic and hemorrhagic. They account for about 1% of all strokes…
Introduction Stroke patients often have visual symptoms and signs, the characteristics of which vary mostly depending on the type of vessel involved (arteries versus veins), the type of stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic), and the size of the arteries involved (large…
Introduction There is a spectrum of brain injury from cerebral hypoperfusion ranging from transient loss of consciousness to devastating anoxic neuronal damage. At the root of this injury is the fact that with limited stores of high-energy phosphate compounds and…
Introduction Ischemic stroke etiologies can be classified into thrombotic, embolic, or cerebral infarcts secondary to systemic hypoperfusion. Aortic arch disease has been a subject of study for many years as a potential source of embolic stroke and is common in…
Overview Globally, stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in Western countries after cancer and heart disease. There are several ways in which stroke and heart disease interrelate . Cardiogenic stroke occurs when (1) clots embolize from the heart…
Anatomy The two vertebral arteries merge at the pontomedullary junction to form the basilar artery (BA). This artery lies within the prepontine cistern and is the main stem of the posterior circulation. It directly supplies a large territory of vital…
Vascular Anatomy The vertebral arteries (VAs) originate from the most proximal portion of the subclavian arteries (SAs) and constitute the birthplace of the so-called posterior circulation. An important feature of the SA system is that the right artery originates from…
Introduction Diseases of the subclavian and innominate artery are rare entities that impact less than 5% of the population. Limited data are available to describe their prevalence and natural history, and current knowledge is derived predominantly from case reports and…
Introduction In many respects, strokes involving the posterior circulation parallel those of the anterior circulation. Ischemic infarcts may be due to atherothrombosis of large arteries, lacunes from occlusion of small penetrating arteries, or embolism from either the heart or proximal…