Abrupt change in head position and cerebral infarction.

Eight patients are described who developed infarctions in the vertebral-basilar artery distribution following chiropractic neck manipulation or spontaneous head turning. The angiographic and autopsy findings indicate that injury to the intima of the vertebral artery at the atlantoaxial joint forms a nidus for thrombus formation which may propogate or embolize to involve other vessels in the vertebral-basilar system and result in progressive brainstem infarction. The role of anticoagulation in these patients is discussed.