Blunt basal head trauma: Rupture of posterior inferior cerebellar artery

Abstract Two cases are reported of rupture of posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) from blunt basal head trauma. The anatomy at the site of rupture is discussed as a prerequisite for rupture. The rapid fatal course is also discussed. The authors propose that the forensic term “traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage” ought to be adandoned and replaced by the nature and localization of the source of bleeding, analogous to clinical practice at the spontaneous haemorhage from rupture of aneurysm.