Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-g7gxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-16T20:18:08.415Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Lesions of the Tunica Media in Traumatic Rupture of Vertebral Arteries: Histologic and Biochemical Studies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2015

M.S. Pollanen ,
J.H.N. Deck ,
L. Boutilier  and
G. Davidson
M.S. Pollanen*
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, The Toronto Hospital, Toronto
J.H.N. Deck*
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, The Toronto Hospital, Toronto
L. Boutilier*
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, The Toronto Hospital, Toronto
G. Davidson*
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, The Toronto Hospital, Toronto
*
Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, The Toronto Hospital, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontatio, Canada M5T2S8
Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, The Toronto Hospital, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontatio, Canada M5T2S8
Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, The Toronto Hospital, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontatio, Canada M5T2S8
Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, The Toronto Hospital, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontatio, Canada M5T2S8
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract:

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Discontinuous non-circumferential lesions of tunica media were observed in four cases of traumatic rupture of the vertebral artery. We hypothesize that these lesions were due to mechanical disruption of smooth muscle cells and the liberation of catabolic enzymes with subsequent degradation of the arterial media. To test this hypothesis, healthy vertebral arteries were incubated with crude extracts of bovine smooth muscle cytosol in attempt to reproduce the histological changes of the arterial media in traumatized vertebral arteries. We observed cytosol-induced degradation of tunica media, characterized by pallor of staining with the Masson’s Trichrome method, which was due to catabolic enzyme activity that was effectively inhibited by heat inactivation of the cytosol. The cytosol-induced tinctorial changes were similar to the lesions of the tunica media in naturally-occurring cases of traumatic vertebral artery rupture. We conclude that although vertebral arteries can be ruptured by physical distortion alone, associated lesions of the tunica media are due to in situ trauma-associated release of heat-labile catabolic enzymes.

Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , Volume 19 , Issue 1 , February 1992 , pp. 53 - 56
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation 1992

References

1. Contostavols, DL.Massive subarachnoid hemorrhage due to laceration of the vertebral artery associated with fracture of the transverse process of the atlas. J Forensic Sci 1971; 16: 50–56.Google Scholar
2. Ford, R.Basal subarachnoid hemorrhage and trauma. J Forensic Sci 1956; 1: 17–126.Google Scholar
3. Cameron, JM, Mant, AK.Fatal subarachnoid hemorrhage associated with cervical trauma. Med Sci Law 1972; 12: 66–70.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4. Dowling, G, Curry, B.Traumatic basal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Report of six cases and review of the literature. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 1988; 9:23–31.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5. Deck, HJN, Jagadha, V.Fatal subarachnoid hemorrhage due to traumatic rupture of the vertebral artery. Arch Pathol Lab Med 1986; 110:489–493.Google ScholarPubMed
6. Tatsuno, Y, Lindenburg, R.Basal subarachnoid hematomas as sole intracranial lesions. Arch Pathol Lab Med 1974; 97: 211–215.Google Scholar
7. Wilkinson, IMS.The vertebral artery: extracranial and intracranial structure. Arch Neurol 1972; 27: 392–396.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8. Coast, GC, Gee, DJ.Traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage: an alternative source. J Clin Pathol 1984; 37: 1245–1248.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9. Farag, AM, Franks, A, Gee, JE.Simple laboratory experiments to replicate some of the stresses on vertebro-basilar arterial walls. An investigation of possible mechanisms of traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage. Forensic Sci Int 1988; 38: 275–284.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10. Karhunen, PJ, Kauppila, R, Penttila, A, et al. Vertebral artery rupture in traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage detected by postmortem angiography. Forensic Sci Int 1990; 44: 107–115.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed