Vertebrobasilar artery dolichoectesia and pain; Coincidence or etiology?

Abstract

Dolichoectesia is described as elongation, widening, and tortuosity of an artery. Most commonly involved vessels are the intracranial vertebral and basilar arteries. Vertebrobasilar artery dolichoectesia is usually asymptomatic. Cerebral ischemia, hemorrhage, or compression findings due to mass effect can be seen in symptomatic patients. Although there are case reports of trigeminal neuralgia due to fifth cranial nerve compression in the literature, to the best of our knowledge, neither hemicranial nor continuous facial pain secondary to vertebrobasilar artery dolichoectesia has been reported previously. Presently described is case of a 42-year-old male with vertebrobasilar dolichoectesia who had complaint of continuous right-sided hemicranial pain, and his 19-year-old niece, who presented with continuous right-sided facial pain.