Summary
At the point where the vertebral artery crosses the posterior arch of the atlas it may sometimes be enclosed by a bridge of bone, the so-called foramen arcuale. The foramen limits the normal mobility of the vessel during flexion and extension of the neck and may cause disturbances of arterial flow and of the periarterial sympathetic plexus giving rise to symptoms similar to those found in the Barre-Lieou syndrome. The author describes the angiographic findings in such patients and a technique for the surgical excision of the foramen. The results of the operation in two groups of patients, with and without associated spondylosis of the lower cervical spine, are presented.
Résumé
A l'endroit où l'artère vertébrale croise l'arc postérieur de l'atlas, elle est parfois entourée d'un pont osseux appelé foramen arcuale. Ce foramen limite la mobilité normale du vaisseau au cours des mouvements de flexion-extension du cou et peut entraîner des perturbations du débit artériel et du plexus sympathique péri-artériel, donnant lieu à des symptômes similaires à ceux qui font partie du syndrome de Barré-Liéou. L'auteur décrit les images artériographiques mises en évidence chez ces malades, ainsi qu'une technique chirurgicale d'excision de ce foramen. Il présente les résultats de cette opération dans deux groupes de malades, selon qu'était associée ou non une arthrose du rachis cervical inférieur.
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Limousin, C.A. Foramen arcuale and syndrome of barre-lieou. International Orthopaedics 4, 19–23 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00266599
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00266599