Successful microvascular decompression surgery for dolichoectatic vertebral artery compression of medulla oblongata in a patient with hypersomnia disorder.

INTRODUCTION: Hypersomnia is a condition in which a person has trouble staying awake during the day. There are several potential causes of it, including sleep apnea and sleep disorders.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 43 year old male was referred to our practice with complaints of hypersomnia, snoring, slurred speech and sleep apnea for more diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. His brain MRI was significant for a vascular loop compression on medulla oblongata. The patient underwent microvascular decompression surgery subsequently and showed improvement in all of his symptoms.

CONCLUSION: One of the rare causes of sleep apnea is medulla oblongata compression by a vascular loop. Vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia may cause this phenomenon probably and should be reviewed in imaging examinations more precisely. Microvascular decompression by using a synthetic Teflon patch may be helpful in management of these patients.