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1192745 tn?1287905858

Possible Dx Hhypoplastic Left Vertebral Artery Anyone heard of this?

I heard from my doctor’s office that my MRI looked normal but suggested there may be a problem with the Hypoplastic Left Vertebral artery. Has anyone heard of this before? Is it, or can it be serious? I can't seem to find a lot of good information on this one. The numbness and burning on the right side of my body is a strong indicator that something is defiantly wrong with me but, I can't seem to find a lot of good info on this one. I'm left with more questions than answers.
  
Thanks,
RR
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152264 tn?1280354657
Hi Ruby. I don't think it's anything serious. I apparently have the same thing, but no one ever mentioned it to me--I saw it on my MRI/MRA report from 2000, during which they "inadvertently" did an MR venogram as well.

The MR venogram showed that I apparently have little or nothing in the way of a "left transverse sinus" (hypoplastic or absent, I think it said) and also a "hypoplastic left vertebral artery," which from my Internet "research" at the time I concluded to mean underdeveloped. The report said that the right side "receives all of the blood flow from the superior sagittal sinus." These are of course not nasal sinuses but some other spaces, I don't really understand it, but I think it's just an anatomical variation of no consequence.

Quix or someone will correct me if I'm wrong!

My neuro at the time (an ear specialist) had ordered the MRA to see whether a vascular loop (blood vessel intruding on the vestibular/hearing nerve) was the cause of my sudden hearing loss and dizziness. The scan did indeed show a vascular loop--but on my right side, opposite to my hearing loss! So much for that theory.

You can ask your doctor about this, but I doubt it is anything of significance in your symptoms.
Helpful - 0
562511 tn?1285904160
Hi.  Did you see this posting on the MedHelp neurology forum?
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Neurology/hypoplastic-left-vertebral-artery/show/369824

"it will help to know if your posterior communicating arteries exist and working."

What I get from it, is if the other arteries are working okay there is little concern.  "If they are absent, there is an increased risk." (of a stroke)

Helpful - 0
1192745 tn?1287905858
Thanks, I was having such a hard time finding anything on this. I did google the definition of hypoplastic and came up with the same conclusion, it means underdeveloped.

So now I'm back to square one with no answers. My symptoms are still very mild, bothersome, but mild and for that I'll be grateful.

Thank you again for your help. I hope thing are going well for you now.
RR
Helpful - 0
1192745 tn?1287905858
I did read that post, thank you it helped a lot. I'm taking solace in that I don't have the "common" symptoms listed for this condition. All of my symptoms are more pronounced in my back and leg right now. It's enough though to make me want to pursue getting a definitive answer though. Thank you for looking into this, I felt like I might have been a walking stroke patient for a while there today; I’m better now:)

Warm regards,
RR
Helpful - 0
152264 tn?1280354657
Karen thanks for posting that link. I found another one:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Neurology/right-vertebral-artery-hypoplasia/show/1056369

Ruby, sorry you are having so much trouble getting an answer for your symptoms. Unfortunately that seems to be the norm in neurology (no answers, or at least no definite ones). Good luck to you.
Helpful - 0
147426 tn?1317265632
Just a quickie here - many structures in people's bodies are unformed or poorly formed (hypo- under, plastic - grown = underdeveloped)  During fetal development the body usually compensates for the problem with other vessels or  structures that relieve the problem.

For example, I have no left frontal (forehead) sinus.  To compensate my right frontal sinus grew across the midline patially into the area where the left one would have been. This is a little different because the frontal sinuses don't develop until we are in our teens.  The idea, tho, is the same.

If the fetus can't compensate then either areas don't grow properly, the fetus dies, or there is a structural problem after birth.

Quix
Helpful - 0
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