Vertebral artery loop--a cause of cervical radiculopathy.

OBJECTIVE

To report a case of cervical radiculopathy caused by an anomalous vertebral artery (VA) and illustrate the efficacy of microvascular decompression by the anterolateral approach.

METHODS

A 50-year-old woman was referred because of an 8-year history of progressive left C6 radiculopathy refractory to other forms of treatment, including C5-6 anterior cervical discectomy. Clinical and radiologic evaluation showed an abnormally tortuous loop of V2 causing direct neurovascular compression.

RESULTS

A left cervical anterolateral approach was used to expose the anomalous loop. After a generous bony decompression, the loop was identified, and the artery was mobilized and ultimately separated from the C6 nerve root removing the direct pulsatile compression.

CONCLUSIONS

Cervical root compression by an aberrant or anomalous extracranial VA is a rare cause of radiculopathy. The best management of such lesions is the anterolateral approach with bony and direct microvascular decompression.