[The effect of vertebral artery deformation by the osteophytes of uncovertebral areas on cerebral hemodynamics].

Based on the analysis of 37 cases, an ultrasonic picture is described together with the character of a change in dopplerographic indicators in compression of the vertebral artery from osteophytes of the uncovertebral regions. In most cases (94.6%) the deformation is not accompanied by a hemodynamically significant compression (stenosing) of the artery and does not affect the indices for the intracranial bloodflow. The vertebral artery deformation from osteophytes affects parameters characterizing cerebral bloodflow when it is associated with other pathology. Movements in the cervical region of the spine do not increase compression of the vertebral artery from osteophytes of the uncovertebral region. Significance of the vertebral artery compression in the extracranial region can be adequately assessed mostly by indices for intracranial bloodflow. Thus, some other factors or their association that are most often not taken account of can play the leading part in the development of cerebral vascular insufficiency, such as occlusive lesions, deformations of arteries, anomalies of development, reflex vascular pathology etc. As a matter of fact, it is on extremely rare occasions that osteophytosis has a pronounced hemodynamically significant effect on the vertebral artery, it is not considered to be the only cause of cerebral circulatory disorders in people under 58-60 years of age.