BackgroundArterial dissection is a rare complication of pregnancy and puerperium. There have been reports of aortic, coronary and cervical artery dissection in association with preeclampsia, however, vertebral artery dissection is rarely reported particularly in the antenatal setting in the presence of a Hypertensive Disorder of Pregnancy (HDP).The general annual incidence of symptomatic spontaneous cervicocephalic arterial dissection is 0.0026 % and a data registry reported that 2.4 % of these occurred in the post-partum period. The actual incidence of vertebral artery dissection in HDP is unknown as the current literature consists of case series and reports only with most documenting adverse outcomes. Given the presence of collateral circulation, unilateral vertebral artery dissections may go unrecognised and may be more common than suspected.Case presentationWe present a case series of four patients with vertebral artery dissection in association with HDP, two of which occurred in the antenatal setting and two in the post-partum setting. All our patients had favourable outcome with no maternal neurological deficit and live infants. Our discussion covers the proposed pathophysiology of vertebral artery dissection in HDP and the management of it.ConclusionOur case series highlights the need to consider VAD an important differential diagnosis when assessing pregnant women with headache and neck pain particularly in the context of HDP

Background:Lichen sclerosus (LS) is an inflammatory dermatosis with autoimmune pathogenesis. Although relatively common, its true incidence is unknown and likely underestimated. LS is usually anogenital, but in around 10% of patients, it can present as extragenital lesions. Continuous administration of topical corticosteroids is the mainstay of medical treatment. Other treatments are available but are only occasionally prescribed along with or instead of topical steroids. Injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) into affected areas has been reported to result in the regeneration of normal skin. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the safety, symptom resolution, and objective improvement in patients with autoimmune condition like genital LS after treatment with PRP.Methods:Over a 2-year period at FBW Gynaecology Plus, we had a total of 28 patients with confirmed LS on biopsy, unresponsive to topical steroid treatment. After acquiring informed consent, patients’ own blood was centrifuged on site and injected under local anesthesia to the external genitalia.Results:Almost all of our patients showed clinical improvement in the size of their lesions, and in 8 cases, lesions totally disappeared after treatment with PRP. Symptoms disappeared in 15 of the 28 patients after treatment, with no need for further steroid therapy in 23 patients. Thirteen women experienced partial symptom relief.Conclusions:Based on our limited findings, we hypothesize that PRP presents a potential alternative to topical steroids for treatment of vulvovaginal autoimmune conditions such as LS. A larger pilot and/or randomized controlled trial study is required to evaluate this finding further.