Dual Origin of Left Vertebral Artery- A Case Report of an Uncommon Vascular Variant

Abstract

Vertebral artery duplication is relatively an uncommon vascular variant. It is a developmental anomaly with a dual origin and has different levels of fusion in the neck. It is usually an incidental finding found during workup of other clinical conditions. Due to its anatomical similarity with arterial dissection, it is often misinterpreted on vascular imaging, so a thorough understanding of this vascular variant is necessary to avoid diagnostic and therapeutic complications during endovascular interventions. A 43-year-old male presented with complaints of pain and discolouration of fingers of left hand since two days. Computed Tomography (CT) angiography of upper limb was done which revealed short segment near complete to complete occlusion/thrombosis of proximal left subclavian artery which was seen 8 mm from its origin with distal reformation by the collaterals. There was an evidence of hypoplastic V1 segment of native left vertebral artery, a small artery was seen arising from the aortic arch in the middle of common carotid and left subclavian artery origins, which was found to be duplicated vertebral artery with dual origin from both the subclavian artery and aorta with fusion of both the limbs at C4-C5 levels.

Keywords

• computed topographic angiography
• common carotid
• duplicated left vertebral artery
• left subclavian artery