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Emerg Med J 2007;24:732 doi:10.1136/emj.2007.046946
  • Emergency casebooks

Vertebral artery dissection presenting as isolated vertigo

  1. N J Rane,
  2. D Mcauley
  1. Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge, UK
  1. Dr Neil J Rane, Christ's College Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3BU, UK; nr230{at}cam.ac.uk
  • Accepted 29 April 2007

Abstract

Vertigo is not an uncommon presentation to the emergency department. It is most commonly caused by benign peripheral processes, such as inner ear or vestibular nerve dysfunction, but can be due to central brain lesions. In this report, we present a central cause of isolated vertigo: brainstem infarct secondary to vertebral artery dissection (VAD). VAD is increasingly being recognised as an important cause of stroke in young people. We discuss the important features that need to be elicited to distinguish central from peripheral disease and the relevance of VAD.

Footnotes

  • Competing interests: None declared.

  • Informed consent was obtained for publication.

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