TY - JOUR T1 - Hemifacial spasm resulting from vertebral artery dolichoectasia JF - Saudi Medical Journal JO - Saudi Med J SP - 1640 LP - 1642 VL - 26 IS - 10 AU - Dirk Deleu AU - Boulenouar Mesraoua Y1 - 2005/10/01 UR - http://smj.org.sa/content/26/10/1640.abstract N2 - A 32-year-old man presented with left hemifacial spasm. Neurophysiological findings revealed an absent ipsilateral R1 on blink reflex. An MRI showed a dolichoectatic left vertebral artery impinging on the root exit zone of the left facial nerve. Botulinum toxin infections relieved the manifestations of hemifacial spasm. This case demonstrates that MRI/MRA is an essential part of the work-up for hemifacial spasm, and shows that in accordance with the literature, vertebral dolichoectasia is an uncommon cause of hemifacial spasm. ER -