Alajbegovic, Katarina

Introduction: Dynamic vertebral artery insufficiency is a rare vascular phenomenon characterized by insufficient flow of the posterior cerebral circulation induced by dynamic motion of the head. Prior case reports have been limited to vertebral artery occlusion by cervical osteophytes or other structural impingements. Case Report: In this case report, we discuss the unusual case of a 61-year-old female with a history of vertigo, diplopia, nystagmus, and left subclavian stenosis admitted to the hospital for syncope elicited by a left head turn and left shoulder raise. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound and angiography showed evidence of dynamic vertebrobasilar insufficiency elicited by a left-head turn. Percutaneous stenting of the left subclavian artery led to the resumption of normal vessel flow as assessed by TCD and the resolution of the patient’s symptoms. Conclusions: This case highlights an unusual cause of dynamic vertebrobasilar insufficiency induced by head turn and/or left shoulder raise due to subclavian stenosis, diagnosed by TCD and angiography, and successfully treated with subclavian artery stenting.

Background: Nasopharyngeal (NP) swabbing is a technique that is commonly used to test pediatric patients for viral infections with increased use during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Complications from NP swabbing are rare and seem to occur more frequently in patients at risk of bleeding. Little is known about institutional or individual practices and experiences with NP swab testing in pediatric patients with risk factors for bleeding. Methods: We conducted a survey study of pediatric hematology/oncology (PHO) attending physicians to assess practices and experiences with NP swab testing in pediatric patients with thrombocytopenia and/or on anticoagulation. Results: There were 130 total respondents (5.6%, n = 130/2327) from 6 countries. Relatively few respondents (n = 17/130, 13.1%) reported that their institution had a policy specifying a lower-level platelet cutoff for patients undergoing NP swabbing. The median platelet cutoff below which NP swabs are not performed according to existing policies is 30,000×10(9)/L (interquartile range: 20,000 to 40,000). The median cutoff based on the opinion of the respondents was 10,000 (interquartile range: 10,000 to 20,000). There were 24 episodes of epistaxis among PHO patients that were NP swabbed; many adverse events (56.5%, n = 13/23) were described as persistent, severe, and/or required intervention. Three reported cases of epistaxis with anticoagulation or antiplatelet therapy occurred in patients with concomitant thrombocytopenia. Only 1 respondent (n = 1/130, 0.7%) reported an institutional policy for limiting NP swabs in patients on anticoagulant therapy. NP (66.9%) and nares (33.1%) were the most common sources of coronavirus disease 2019 testing that were reported. Conclusion: A small percentage of institutions in this survey have a policy restricting NP swabs in PHO patients. The discrepancy between lower platelet cutoffs proposed by experts and institutional policy suggests that existing policies may be too conservative. Expert guidelines are needed on this topic. Other bleeding risk factors (eg, aspirin use and von Willebrand disease) should be considered in policies and guidelines.