What Is the Vertebral Artery?

The vertebral artery starts from the upper wall of the first segment of the subclavian artery, passes through the transverse process hole above the 6th cervical vertebra, and bends inwardly behind the atlantolateral mass. The contralateral vertebral arteries form a basilar artery. Occasionally it can enter the transverse process at the 5th, 4th, or 7th cervical spine. The first segment of the vertebral artery ascends backward between the long cervical and anterior oblique muscles, and intersects the inferior thyroid artery behind the common carotid artery and vertebral vein.

Chinese name: Vertebral artery
Foreign name: Vertebral artery
nickname: Vertebrobasilar system

Segment: The first four segments are extracranial and the fifth segment is intracranial
Symptoms of illness: dizziness
Classification of clinical symptoms: Vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis

Vertebral artery overview

The left artery is crossed by a thoracic duct. There is a seventh cervical transverse process, a stellate ganglion, and the seventh and eighth cervical nerve posterior branches behind the artery. The second segment of the vertebral artery rises through the transverse foramen of the cervical vertebra, and accompanies the venous plexus formed by the branch of the stellate ganglion and the vertebral vein. This segment of the vertebral artery is in front of the anterior branch of the cervical 6-cervical 2 spinal nerve, and rises almost vertically to the transverse foramen of the vertebra, and then turns laterally to the transverse foramen of the atlas. Here, it begins as the third segment of the vertebral artery and passes through the lateral rectus muscle. The medial flexion traveled backward to the medial and posterior lateral mass of the atlanto-vertebral mass, outside the anterior branch of the first cervical nerve, and then to the vertebral sulcus above the posterior arch of the atlanto-vertebra. This segment is located in the inferior occipital triangle and is covered by the head hemi-spinal muscle, between the posterior branch of the 1st cervical nerve and the artery and the posterior arch of the atlas. The fourth segment of the vertebral artery penetrates the dura mater and the arachnoid ascends in front of the hypoglossal nerve root, and obliquely ascends in front of the medulla to the lower edge of the pontine, and joins with the contralateral artery to form a basilar artery running along the midline.

Vertebral artery

1. Vertebral artery 1. Introduction:

Vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis is a clinical syndrome with dizziness as the main symptom caused by insufficient blood supply to the vertebral-basal artery caused by degenerative changes in the cervical spine. It can occur in severe cases and affect patients' work and quality of life. Studies have found that about 50% of patients with dizziness over 50 years of age are cervical dizziness.

2. Vertebral artery 2. Etiology:

The disease is caused by various mechanical and dynamic factors that cause the vertebral artery to be stimulated or compressed, resulting in narrowing and bending of the blood vessels, resulting in incomplete blood supply to the vertebral-basal artery.

3. Vertebral artery 3. Clinical manifestations:

1. General symptoms of cervical spondylosis:

Such as neck pain, posterior occipital pain, neck movement limitation and so on. If the spinal cord or spinal nerve roots are spread, corresponding symptoms appear.

2. Symptoms of vertebral-basal artery insufficiency:

(1) Migraine: Taking the temporal part as the drama, it is mostly jumping or tingling.

(2) Lost symptoms: tinnitus, hearing loss, and deafness.

(3) vestibular symptoms: mainly manifested as dizziness,

(4) Memory loss.

(5) Visual impairment: vision loss, blurred vision, diplopia, hallucinations, and transient blindness.

(6) Mental symptoms: Neurasthenia is the main manifestation, which is often accompanied by recent forgetfulness, insomnia and dreaminess.

(7) Pronunciation disorders: mainly manifested as articulation, hoarseness, and numbness in the lips. In severe cases, pronunciation difficulties may occur, and even swallowing may be affected.

(8) Sudden fall: When the patient turns head and neck in a certain position, he suddenly feels dizzy and headache. The patient immediately hugs his head, his legs and legs appear to be out of control, and then fall (sit) and fall to the ground.

3. Autonomic symptoms:

Clinically, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and respiratory symptoms are more common. In some cases, pupil shrinkage, drooping eyelids, and invaginations can occur.

4. Vertebral artery 4. Examination:

1. X-ray changes:

Plain film X-ray examination (mainly the examination of cervical spine functional position to determine the presence or absence of vertebral segment instability) shows changes in the physiological curvature of the cervical spine, narrowing of the intervertebral space, osteophytes at the anterior and posterior edges of the vertebrae, calcification of the ligament of the neck, vertebral body movement Bit.

2. Digital subtraction angiography DSA technology:

A clear image of the vertebral artery obtained by digital subtraction imaging technology through femoral artery puncture and insertion of a catheter, injecting a small amount of contrast agent.

3.MRI imaging technology:

It is of great significance to determine the state of the spinal cord and whether there is variation, symmetry, or difference in the inner diameter of the transverse process holes on both sides, especially the non-damaged vertebral artery MR imaging technology (MRA). The determination of the vertebral artery is both safe and diagnostic. value.

4. Other:

Including traditional vertebral angiography, CT examination, etc. can be selected as appropriate.