Embolism of chondroma in the vertebral artery resulting in cerebellar and cerebral infarction

Purpose: A case of multiple brain infarction caused by embolism of a chondroma in the left vertebral artery is reported. Case presentation: A 38-year-old woman was admitted for cerebral infarction. On angiography, a round filling defect was observed in the V2 segment of the patent left vertebral artery, thought to be a floating embolus. The patient was successfully treated with embolectomy by means of endovascular procedures immediately after angiography. Histopathologic evaluation indicated the embolus to be a piece of chondroma. Conclusion: Cerebral embolism from tumor, especially chondroma, is extraordinarily rare. The source of the embolism in this patient is thought to most likely be the heart.