Bow Hunter's Stroke

This section is compiled by Frank M. Painter, D.C.
Send all comments or additions to:   Frankp@chiro.org

   A Case of Bow Hunter's Stroke Treated with Endovascular Surgery
           No Shinkei Geka 2006 (Feb);   34 (2):   189–192
           Bow hunter's stroke results from vertebrobasilar insufficiency due to a mechanical occlusion or stenosis of the vertebral artery caused by head rotation. We report here a case of bow hunter's stroke that was successfully treated with endovascular surgery. A 69-year-old male complained of intractable vertigo when he rotated his head to the right side. Neuroradiological studies proved that the symptom was attributed to the mechanical severe stenosis of the left vertebral artery at the C1-C2 level on head rotation, in addition to the atherosclerotic stenosis at the origin of the right vertebral artery.


   Bow Hunter's Syndrome in the Setting of Contralateral Vertebral Artery Stenosis: Evaluation and Treatment Options
Spine 2002 (Dec 1);   27 (23):   E495–498
Bow hunter's syndrome is an uncommon condition in which the VA is symptomatically occluded during neck rotation. This case is interesting in that the patient had what appeared to be a normal right VA and occluded left VA when the head was in the neutral position. When the head was rotated 45 degrees to the left, the patient's right VA was occluded (bow hunter's finding), and it became apparent that the left VA was not completely occluded (as it appeared in the neutral position angiogram) but rather was 90% stenosed.


   Acute Traumatic Stroke:   A Case of Bow Hunter's Stroke in a Child
           Eur J Emerg Med 1998;   5 (2) Jun:   259–263
           Acute traumatic stroke of the cerebellum is rarely seen in children. In adults, chiropractical manipulation, yoga exercises, bow hunting and cervical trauma have all been associated with vertebrobasillar damage and subsequent stroke due to cerebellar infarction.


   A Case of Juvenile Bow Hunter's Stroke
           No To Shinkei 2000;   52 (5) May:   431–434
           Bow hunter's stroke results from vertebrobasilar insufficiency caused by mechanical occlusion or stenosis of the vertebral artery at the C 1-2 level on head rotation. Commonly it is seen in elder people with cervical spondylosis. Here we reports a case of bow hunter's stroke in a 25-year-old male who complained of visual disturbance and syncope on rotation of the head 90 degrees or more to the left.


   Bow Hunter's Stroke Associated with an Aberrant Course of the Vertebral Artery – A Case Report
Neurol Med Chir 1999;   39 (12) Nov:   867–869
Bow hunter's stroke may be caused by atlantoaxial arterial anomalies, so accurate preoperative evaluation of the region is necessary to avoid anatomical confusion at surgery.


   A Case of Bow Hunter's Stroke Caused by Bilateral Vertebral Artery Occlusive Change on Head Rotation to the Right
No Shinkei Geka 1998;   26 (5) May:   417–422
We report a case of bow hunter's stroke caused by simultaneous bilateral vertebral artery occlusive changes at the right C3-4 and the left C1-2 level on head rotation to the right side.


   Bow Hunter's Stroke Caused by Simultaneous Occlusion of Both Vertebral Arteries
             Acta Neurochir 1999;   141 (8):   895–896


   Usefulness of Three-dimensional CT for Bow Hunter Stroke
             Acta Neurochir 1997;   139 (3):   265–266

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Since 2-01-1999

Updated 6-24-2006