Project description:PurposeRecognize a rare yet existing risk of severe visual loss as a postoperative complication of bilateral lung transplant.ObservationsA 62-year-old male had undergone bilateral lung transplant for end-stage idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema overlap syndrome. The operation was initially off-pump; however, during the left lung transplantation, cardiopulmonary bypass conversion was necessary to maintain intraoperative hemodynamic stability. On post-operative day 4, shortly after extubation and full recovery from sedation, the patient reported bilateral no light perception vision. There were no other associated neurologic symptoms. A computed tomographic (CT) of the head, cranial magnetic resonance (MR) scan of the head, MR angiogram of the circle of Willis and neck were negative. Neuro-ophthalmologic examination revealed no light perception vision in both eyes(OU). The pupils were non-reactive to light (amaurotic pupils). The intraocular pressure measured 18 mm Hg OU, and complete bilateral ophthalmoplegia was present. The fundus exam showed bilateral pallid optic disc edema, cherry red spots, with arteriolar attenuation, and mildly dilated and tortuous veins. Stroke work up was negative.Conclusions and importanceA case of post-operative visual loss and ophthalmoplegia carrying significant and permanent quality of life implications. It questions the role disruption of homeostasis during cardiopulmonary bypass contributes for this outcome.
Project description:The dentatothalamic tract connects the dentate nucleus of the cerebellum with the contralateral thalamus and plays a major role in the pathogenesis of tremor. Unilateral lesions of the dentatothalamic pathway may affect its ipsilateral predecussational or its contralateral postdecussational course, which results either in ipsilateral or in contralateral tremor.Here, we present two patients with a unilateral midbrain lesion resulting in bilateral tremor. Both patients presented with severe kinetic tremor.The corresponding unilateral mesencephalic lesion affected both the ipsilateral predecussational and the ipsilateral postdecussational dentatothalamic tract originating from the contralateral dentate nucleus, which is very unusual and has not been outlined clearly before.
Project description:Post-stroke seizure (PSS) can have a strong negative impact on functional recovery after stroke. Researchers have identified numerous risk factors of PSS; however, the relationship between infarction location and PSS remains unclear. We recruited patients who presented with an acute cerebral infarction between 2012 and 2017 and suffered from seizures within 1 year after stroke (PSS group). PSS group was subgrouped into early-PSS and late-PSS groups based on the interval between seizure and stroke. We also recruited an equal number of acute cerebral infarction patients without post-stroke seizures during the follow-up period (Non-PSS group). All brain MRIs from the two groups were processed, whereupon normalized infarct maps from the PSS and Non-PSS groups were compared via voxel- and volumetric-based analyses. A total of 132 subjects were enrolled in the study, including PSS (n = 66, consisting of 31 early-PSS and 35 late-PSS) and Non-PSS (n = 66) patients. No significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of stroke lateralization or severity. Image analysis revealed that the volume of infarction was larger in the PSS group than in the Non-PSS group; however, the difference did not reach the level of significance. Unlike the Non-PSS group, the PSS group presented hot spots over the left central region, left superior parietal lobule, and right frontal operculum. We observed differences between the distribution of hot spots among patients with early-PSS and those with late-PSS. We found that some brain regions were significantly associated with the development of PSS after ischemic stroke, and these regions differed between cases of early and late PSS. It appears that the location of infarction could help clinicians assess the risk of PSS in specific post-stroke stages.
Project description:PurposeTo report a case of myasthenia gravis presenting with a false localizing sign, a bilateral pseudo internuclear ophthalmoplegia.ObservationsA 61 year-old male presented with a five-week history of painless binocular oblique diplopia that was associated with fatigue, vocal hoarseness and bilateral ptosis, the latter two of which worsened through the course of the day. Exam was remarkable for an apparent bilateral internuclear ophthalmoplegia (INO). MRI of the brain with and without contrast and MRA of the head and neck were within normal limits. Lab work was positive for anti-AChR binding, blocking, and modulating antibodies, as well as anti-striated muscle and anti-titin antibodies. The patient was initiated on therapy for myasthenia gravis.Conclusion and importanceAlthough myasthenia gravis often presents with ptosis or diplopia, rarely patients may develop pseudo-INO secondary to extraocular muscle weakness. True INO occurs with damage to the medial longitudinal fasciculus, a myelinated tract of fibers that controls yoked horizontal eye movements. Clinicians should be suspicious of the false localizing sign of a pseudo-INO associated with myasthenia gravis when more common causes of INO have been excluded.
Project description:An unusual presentation of Devic's neuromyelitis optica (NMO) disease associated with bilateral internuclear ophthalmoplegia (INO) is described. A 32-year-old pregnant patient was diagnosed with NMO. First symptoms were headache and sudden visual loss in her right eye (RE). Eighteen months ago, she reported other neurologic symptoms such as paresthesia. Based on her visual field, fundoscopy and Ishihara test, she was diagnosed with retrobulbar neuritis of the RE. After delivery, new neurologic symptoms resembling transverse myelitis appeared. She was treated with methylprednisolone and plasmapheresis, which improved her visual acuity; however, a sudden bilateral INO appeared, with adduction defect and nystagmus with abduction in both eyes. No improvement was obtained after treatment with azathioprine and rituximab. Paresis of the legs and the right arm persisted, but double vision and OIN gradually disappeared. At the end, the patient had a residual exophoria in the RE and nystagmus with abduction in the left eye. Prevalence of NMO is lower than one case per one million inhabitants, and it is not likely to affect the encephalic trunk; furthermore, bilateral INO in NMO is rare. Two major criteria and at least two of the three minor ones are required to confirm a NMO diagnosis, and our patient fulfilled these diagnosis criteria.
Project description:Lesion location is an important determinant for post-stroke cognitive impairment. Although several 'strategic' brain regions have previously been identified, a comprehensive map of strategic brain regions for post-stroke cognitive impairment is lacking due to limitations in sample size and methodology. We aimed to determine strategic brain regions for post-stroke cognitive impairment by applying multivariate lesion-symptom mapping in a large cohort of 410 acute ischemic stroke patients. Montreal Cognitive Assessment at three to six months after stroke was used to assess global cognitive functioning and cognitive domains (memory, language, attention, executive and visuospatial function). The relation between infarct location and cognition was assessed in multivariate analyses at the voxel-level and the level of regions of interest using support vector regression. These two assumption-free analyses consistently identified the left angular gyrus, left basal ganglia structures and the white matter around the left basal ganglia as strategic structures for global cognitive impairment after stroke. A strategic network involving several overlapping and domain-specific cortical and subcortical structures was identified for each of the cognitive domains. Future studies should aim to develop even more comprehensive infarct location-based models for post-stroke cognitive impairment through multicenter studies including thousands of patients.
Project description:PurposeTo report a case of septic thrombophlebitis producing bilateral abducens nerve palsy.ObservationA 65 year-old woman with recent sinus surgery experienced the onset of horizontal diplopia during treatment for bacteremia. Computer tomography of head and a neck ultrasonography showed right internal jugular vein occlusion. Ophthalmology examination was consistent with bilateral abducens nerve palsy. She was treated with systemic antibiotics and antiplatelet therapy with resolution of the internal jugular vein occlusion. The diplopia improved over a six-months.Conclusion and importanceOur patient had Lemierre syndrome with an unusual presentation. The patient was treated for septic thrombophlebitis with a resolution of her ocular symptoms.
Project description:PurposeTo highlight the eye movement disturbances in anti-IgLON5 disease.MethodsCase report.ResultsAnti-IgLON5 is a heterogenous neurodegenerative and autoimmune disease manifested by a variety of signs and symptoms including sleep disorder, bulbar dysfunction, movement disorder, cognitive impairment, and autonomic dysfunction.Conclusions and importanceEye movement disturbances (e.g., nystagmus, gaze palsy, slow saccadic velocities) can be a prominent clinical feature of anti-IgLON5 disease.