I72.6: Aneurysm and dissection of vertebral artery

The blood vessel wall of an artery in your spine is changed in a specific place.

This kind of change can, for example, cause the blood vessel wall to dilate. It is also possible that the inner layer of the blood vessel wall is damaged.

Arteries are blood vessels that transport blood away from the heart. They supply all the tissue in the body with oxygen-rich blood. There are two vertebral arteries in the back of the neck. The arteries run very close to the spine and then go into the skull through an opening. Among other things, they carry blood to parts of the brain.

The blood vessel wall is made up of three layers. If the inner layer is damaged, then blood can get between the layers of the blood vessel wall. If the other layers break down, the blood can get into the surrounding tissue.

If the blood vessel is dilated, it has a larger overall diameter than normal. It may only be the outer layers of the blood vessel wall or the whole blood vessel wall that is dilated.

When a blood vessel is dilated, it is usually not noticed. However, there is a risk that the blood vessel wall breaks down at this point. This can result in bleeding. If blood gets between the layers of the blood vessel wall, it can cause pain. If a blood vessel is dilated or the blood vessel wall is damaged, parts of the body or organs may not have poorer blood supply. The symptoms then depend on which areas of the body the affected blood vessel supplies with blood.