Vertebral-artery dissection following a judo session: a case report.

A few days after a judo session, an 11-year-old boy presented with an ischemic stroke with dizziness, aphasia and ataxia. CCT scan revealed a left thalamic infarct. Angiography showed a fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) of the left vertebral artery probably complicated by dissection. Subsequent evolution was favorable. This observation points out the fact that the association of a cervical pain with neurological signs of vertebrobasilar stroke, especially occurring after a cervical trauma or rotatory motion, should alert to the possibility of vertebral-artery dissection. The diagnosis is mainly based on angiographic criteria. Accurate diagnosis has implications for prognosis and probably for acute medical treatment.