Dissection of the V3-V4 due to whiplash injury: Description of a non-fatal case

Whiplash injuries, a common sequel of road traffic accidents, may be defined as a musculo-ligamentous sprain resulting from forced acceleration/deceleration and flexion/ extension neck injury. We report a non-fatal case of vertebral right artery dissection after a minor rear-lateral collision. The injury was detected twenty-four days after trauma when a computerized tomography (CT) scan and cerebral angiography revealed multiple ischemic lesions of the right cerebellum. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) has been the most sensitive imaging modality to describe the types and degree of vascular injury. The accuracy of such imaging allows linking several injuries with minor car crash avoiding patients seeking litigation for correct financial compensation.