Dissecting vertebral artery aneurysm: diagnosis and coil embolization

Dissecting aneurysm of the intradural vertebral artery, a rare cause of stroke and sub-arachnoid haemorrhage, is associated with a poor neurological outcome if the disease is unrecognized and remains untreated. Clinical manifestations may be delayed or overlooked and non-invasive radiological investigations demonstrate little or no abnormality. We describe the diagnosis and successful endovascular occlusion of a dissecting vertebral artery aneurysm using detachable microcoils; a novel technique that has advantages over conventional therapeutic procedures.