{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.01921397379912664, 'fraction_numerical': 0.010480349344978166, 'mean_word_length': 6.2075471698113205, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Is Anticoagulation Necessary for Asymptomatic Unilateral Vertebral Artery Injury?

V artery injury (VAI) commonly occurs in association with cervical spine trauma.1–4 Symptoms of VAI are attributable to ischemic complications of the posterior circulation5; however, a significant proportion of patients are asymptomatic.2,6,7 In 2012, the 9th edition of the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) manual proposed criteria for screening patients with suspected VAI and subsequent treatment with antiplatelet or anticoagulation therapy8; however, these recommendations were caveated with the statement that supporting evidence remains limited. To date, no level one study has been performed comparing treatment modalities in VAI. Though general consensus dictates pharmacologic treatment for patients with symptomatic or bilateral VAI, the appropriate management of asymptomatic unilateral VAI remains unclear. On the basis of the current literature, patients with asymptomatic unilateral VAI should be treated with observation because of the inadequacy of the data supporting pharmacologic treatment and the complications of pharmacologic treatment.