8879                ANEYRYSM OF RIGHT VERTEBRAL ARTERY

The patient was a woman aged 30.  Eighteen months before her death she suffered headache, nausea and blurred vision.  Ten months later she was in Northfield Hospital with suspected bulbar paralysis.  There was dysphagia, headache, blurred vision, muscle weakness and parasthesia in the hands.  Three months later vomiting and ataxia were added and during the few days before her last admission in February 1954 the dysphagia became more severe.  She died after 10 days in hospital.

The specimen consists of the lower half of the brain.  A large aneurysm 3 cms in diameter arises from the right vertebral artery and has produced marked compression and distortion of the right side of the medulla.  The reverse of the specimen shows no abnormalities.  In particular there is no internal hydrocephalus.  The aneurysm has not ruptured nor is there evidence of leakage.