Fatal Entrapment of the Basilar Artery in a Longitudinal Fracture of the Clivus Due to Head Injury: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Infarction of the posterior cerebral artery circulation arising from entrapment of the basilar artery in a fracture of the clivus has been reported in the medical literature, predominantly in the radiology and emergency medicine journals. Review of the medical literature on the topic revealed 14 published cases of entrapment of the basilar and/or vertebral artery within a longitudinal fracture of the clivus. These were all reported between 1964 and 2016 and postmortem examination had been conducted on seven cases. To date, no case of entrapment of the basilar and/or vertebral artery in a fracture of the clivus has been reported in the forensic pathology literature, and the published literature on the entity is reviewed