Periadventitial Extracranial Vertebral Artery Hemorrhage in a Case of Shaken Baby Syndrome

• NCJ Number: 185065
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 45 Issue: 5 Dated: September 2000 Pages: 1151-1153
• Author(s): Aaron M. Gleckman M.D.; Stanton C. Kessler M.D.; Thomas W. Smith M.D.
• Editor(s): R. E. Gaensslen Ph.D.
• Date Published: September 2000
• Length: 3 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Technical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The authors report a case of a 2-month-old boy who became unresponsive while he was in the sole custody of his father.

Abstract

Resuscitation efforts on the way to the hospital restored the infant's heart beat, although neurological function never recovered. Autopsy revealed massive cerebral edema, recent subdural and subarachnoid hemorrhages, bilateral retinal hemorrhages, and cervical spine ligament hemorrhages. Separation of individual cervical vertebrae showed extensive, bilateral, periadventitial vertebral artery hemorrhages between C1 and C4, with corresponding luminal compression of vertebral arteries. The importance of this previously unreported phenomenon of periadventitial vertebral artery hemorrhage in the setting of shaken baby syndrome is discussed. 9 references and 2 figures