Covered stent salvage for iatrogenic vertebral artery injury in traumatic cervical spine injury: A case report and literature review.
Tzu-Hao Yen, Wei-Liang Chen, Ying-Lin Tseng, You-Pen Chiu, Hui-Ru Ji, Jeng-Hung Guo, Cheng-Di Chiu
Abstract
Open AccessWe report the case of a 70-year-old woman who sustained complex traumatic injuries in a motor vehicle accident, including cervical spine fractures and a high suspicion of traumatic vertebral artery injury (VAI). Initial digital subtraction angiography (DSA) revealed no evidence of vertebral artery (VA) involvement. She subsequently underwent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF); however, an iatrogenic injury to the right VA occurred intra-operatively, necessitating emergent endovascular stenting for vascular repair. This case underscores the importance of comprehensive preoperative imaging, intraoperative vigilance, and coordinated multidisciplinary management in cervical spine trauma with potential vascular involvement.