Over a two-year period, a cohort of 21 patients with diagnosed cervical facet dislocations was studied. These patients, both male and female, underwent computed tomography angiography (CTA) immediately following the accident. The purpose of the imaging was to evaluate the condition of vital arteries, specifically assessing the patency of the vertebral artery (VA) and anterior spinal artery (ASA) after the traumatic event.
The results of the study indicated that 5 out of the 21 patients, or 24%, presented with unilateral occlusion of the vertebral artery. This condition was noted in two patients suffering from unilateral facet dislocation and three with bilateral facet dislocation. Despite the presence of these injuries, no occlusion of the anterior spinal artery was observed in any of the participants. This finding is significant, as it suggests that the anterior spinal artery remains intact even in cases where vertebral artery occlusion is present.
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