External carotid artery-radial artery-vertebral artery bypass for surgical treatment of radiculopathy caused by an extracranial vertebral artery aneurysm: A case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Background: Vertebral artery (VA) aneurysm is a rare etiology of cervical radiculopathy and there is a paucity of case reports described in the literature.

Case description: We describe a case of a patient with no history of trauma presenting with a large right VA aneurysm at the C5-C6 level compressing the C6 nerve root and causing a painful radiculopathy. The patient underwent successful external carotid artery-radial artery-VA bypass followed by trapping of the aneurysm and decompression of the C6 nerve root.

Conclusion: VA bypass is an effective tool for treatment of symptomatic large extracranial VA aneurysms and a rare cause of radiculopathy.

Keywords: Cervical radiculopathy; Operative technique; Radial artery graft; Vertebral artery aneurysm.