High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis and management of vertebral artery dissection:A case report

BACKGROUND Vertebral artery dissection(VAD)is a rare but life-threatening condition characterized by tearing of the intimal layer of the vertebral artery,leading to stenosis,occlusion or rupture.The clinical presentation of VAD can be heterogeneous,with common symptoms including headache,dizziness and balance problems.Timely diagnosis and treatment are crucial for favorable outcomes;however,VAD is often missed due to its variable clinical presentation and lack of robust diagnostic guidelines.High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging(HRMRI)has emerged as a reliable diagnostic tool for VAD,providing detailed visualization of vessel wall abnormalities.CASE SUMMARY A young male patient presented with an acute onset of severe headache,vomiting,and seizures,followed by altered consciousness.Imaging studies revealed bilateral VAD,basilar artery thrombosis,multiple brainstem and cerebellar infarcts,and subarachnoid hemorrhage.Digital subtraction angiography(DSA)revealed vertebral artery stenosis but failed to detect the dissection,potentially because intramural thrombosis obscured the VAD.In contrast,HRMRI confirmed the diagnosis by revealing specific signs of dissection.The patient was managed conservatively with antiplatelet therapy and other supportive measures,such as blood pressure control and pain management.After 5 mo of rehabilitation,the patient showed significant improvement in swallowing and limb strength.CONCLUSION HR-MRI can provide precise evidence for the identification of VAD.

Traditional craniotomy versus current minimally invasive surgery for spontaneous supratentorial intracerebral haemorrhage:A propensity-matched analysis

BACKGROUND Minimally invasive surgery(MIS)and craniotomy(CI)are the current treatments for spontaneous supratentorial cerebral haemorrhage(SSTICH).AIM To compare the efficacy and safety of MIS and CI for the treatment of SSTICH.METHODS Clinical and imaging data of 557 consecutive patients with SSTICH who underwent MIS or CI between January 2017 and December 2022 were retrospectively analysed.The patients were divided into two subgroups:The MIS group and CI group.Propensity score matching was performed to minimise case selection bias.The primary outcome was a dichotomous prognostic(favourable or unfavourable)outcome based on the modified Rankin Scale(mRS)score at 3 months;an mRS score of 0–2 was considered favourable.RESULTS In both conventional statistical and binary logistic regression analyses,the MIS group had a better outcome.The outcome of propensity score matching was unexpected(odds ratio:0.582;95%CI:0.281–1.204;P=0.144),which indicated that,after excluding the interference of each confounder,different surgical modalities were more effective,and there was no significant difference in their prognosis.CONCLUSION Deciding between MIS and CI should be made based on the individual patient,considering the hematoma size,degree of midline shift,cerebral swelling,and preoperative Glasgow Coma Scale score.