Publicación Oficial de la Sociedad Ecuatoriana de Neurología, de la Liga Ecuatoriana Contra la Epilepsia y de la Sociedad Iberoamericana de Enfermedad Cerebrovascular

Reportes de Casos Clínicos

 

Canalopatía de calcio CACNA1E: Nueva encefalopatía epiléptica en un paciente pediátrico. CACNA1E calcium channelopathy: New epileptic encephalopathy in a pediatric patient

Introduction: Epileptic and developmental encephalopathies, related to voltage-associated calcium channel mutations, are heterogeneous entities recently described in pediatric population.

Objective: To describe the case of pediatric patient with epileptic and developmental encephalopathy caused by a mutation in the CACNA1E gene that codes for a calcium channel.

Clinical case: Preschool male patient with refractory epilepsy starting at two months of life, associated with global developmental delay, behavioral disorder, hyperkinetic movements (dystonia) and hypotonia, with multifocal interictal activity and normal brain resonance, with pathogenic mutation in the gene CACNA1E.

Conclusion: Mutations in the CACNA1E gene cause functional alteration of the calcium channel CaV2.3, originating a clinical picture of a recently described phenotype.

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Aplasia unilateral del nervio vestibulococlear. Unilateral Vestibulocochlear nerve aplasia

Introduction: Vestibulo cochlear aplasia is an embryological defect in the formation of the inner ear that causes a sensorineural hearing loss. We report the case of an 8 year-old boy with left sided hearing loss, not previously detected. On neurological examination, a hearing loss in the left ear was found. Through imaging studies, the diagnosis is confirmed.

Conclusion: When hearing loss is suspected, imaging studies are the ideal method for detecting pathological findings in the inner ear.

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Síndrome de Arlequín. Harlequin syndrome

We herein report the case of a 37-year-old woman who sought medical attention due to facial erythema on the right side of her face as well as diaphoresis following stressful events or exercise. Clinical examination was unremarkable. Blood tests and Thorax CT excluded any structural causes. Given this, she was diagnosed with Harlequin syndrome. Therapeutic options were explained, and follow-up provided.

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Asterixis and dysarthria-clumsy hand originated of lacunar infarction: A series of six cases. Asterixis y disartria-mano torpe originado a partir de los infartos lacunares: Una serie de seis casos

La asterixis y la disartria-mano torpe son signos neurológicos poco frecuentes que pertenecen a los trastornos del movimiento después de un accidente cerebrovascular. Clínicamente ellos son clasificados como parte del infarto lacunar y la mayoría de los casos se resuelven espontáneamente en un periodo entre 10 semanas y un mes. El objetivo de este estudio fue reportar seis casos de pacientes masculinos con infarto lacunar y describir los síntomas, localización y tamaño de las lesiones. Se describen casos de infarto lacunar y síntomas motores leves (disartria y asterixis) sin ningún indicio de demencia. En conclusión, nuestros casos presentan movimientos neurológicos anormales como asterixis y disartria-mano torpe en pacientes con hipertensión y / o diabetes mellitus tipo 2. Debido a la transitoriedad de esos movimientos, el diagnóstico en el tiempo adecuado es importante, a partir de eso los médicos pueden solicitar los exámenes de imagen, tratar al paciente y luego acompañarlo previniendo futuros ictus con consecuencias aún más graves. Así, estudios como el nuestro pueden contribuir al correcto diagnóstico de los infartos lacunares.

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Giant bilateral open-lip schizencephaly. Esquizencefalia bilateral gigante de labio abierto

La esquizencefalia es una malformación cerebral congénita caracterizada por hendiduras en la corteza cerebral, se clasifica en Tipo I (labio abierto) y tipo II (labio cerrado). Los pacientes con esquizencefalia presentan convulsiones, hidrocefalia, déficit motor y mental. La ecografía se utiliza para el diagnóstico intra útero y recién nacidos, y la resonancia magnética o tomografía computarizada en pacientes ya nacidos. El manejo de la esquizencefalia es conservador, con rehabilitacción de los déficits motores o mentales, medicación o cirugía para convulsiones y derivación en hidrocefalia con aumento de la presión intraacraneal. En la literatura, solo se han informado unos pocos casos bilaterales gigantes. Presentamos un caso de esquizencefalia gigante bilateral de labio abierto, en un paciente masculino de 10 días, que se presenta con hipotonía leve y sin convulsiones. Este caso es raro debido a las características relativamente beningnas en comparación con otros casos notificados.

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Aplicación móvil de realidad virtual para el entrenamiento de la mano espástica. Virtual reality mobile application for spastic hand training

Background: The hand is a structure with a complex neuromuscular organization that in hemiparesis is compromised, affecting function.

Aim: To determine the changes in the motor function of the spastic hand of an adult with hemiparesis through the use of a mobile application for virtual reality.

Method: Case report of a 29-year-old adult with hemiparesis, evaluated with the Fugl Meyer upper extremity assessment (FMA-ES), the Trail Making test and the force dynamometry test. A therapeutic intervention was performed with exercises of the least affected hand for 12 sessions using special glasses for a total immersion 20 minutes using mobile application Mirror box Therapy VR®.

Results: The virtual reality therapy applied through the Mirror Box Therapy VR® mobile application, shows in a short time favorable changes in the motor and sensory hand function of the patient.

Discussion: Virtual reality provides a functional interaction, making it an effective tool to motivate patients during sessions.

Conclusion: An intervention through the use of virtual reality generates changes in the motor and sensory function of the hand of a patient with hemiparesis after 12 work sessions.

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Tuberculoma intramedular espinal que simulaba una lesión tumoral, en un paciente con desnutrición y consumo de estupefacientes. Spinal intramedullary tuberculoma that simulates a tumor lesion, in a patient with malnutrition and drug use

Intramedullary spinal tuberculoma is a rare form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. In most cases the diagnosis is made by biopsy of the lesion and histopathological study. We present the case of a 28-year-old male with a history of malnutrition and drug use who presented progressive paraparesis with sphincter compromise secondary to a dorsal intramedullary tuberculoma. At the beginning a tumor lesion was suspected, however, findings of pulmonary tuberculosis, lymph node biopsy and a positive tuberculin protein derivative study confirmed the clinical diagnosis of spinal tuberculoma.

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Síndrome alcohólico fetal. Reporte de un caso. Fetal alcohol syndrome. Case report

Prenatal exposure to alcohol is one of the main preventable causes of birth defects and developmental disabilities. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a term used to describe the physical, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental disorders that can be detected in an individual who was prenatally exposed to alcohol.

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Encefalitis autoinmune. Autoimmune encephalitis

Autoimmune encephalitis is a recently described pathology as inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, previously characterized as a paraneoplastic syndrome. However, advances in technology have allowed to categorize it as an entity, with an specific physiopathology, and a clinical presentation based on the developed auto-antibody, but, the wide clinical presentation, the insidious development of the symptoms, the mimic with other pathologies and the lack of knowledge of this condition in the emergency room and hospitalization services, does not permit to diagnose this condition, leading to potentially fatal complications. We report the case of a 26-years-old female with autoimmune encephalitis, and a literature review regarding this topic.

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Discapacidad asociada a manifestaciones neurológicas de COVID-19. Disability associated with COVID-19’s neurological manifestations

Introduction: COVID-19 is mainly a respiratory illness, however, with an incidence in nearly a third of patients of neurological manifestations secondary to affection to the central or peripheral nervous system, used to be more frequent in severe illness, having a wide range of disability and mortality.

Clinical case: We present the clinical case of a 39 years old female ,previously healthy, with diagnosis of COVID-19, initiating her illness with encephalitis and status epilepticus, posteriorly longitudinally extensive myelitis and anoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, which, despite of opportune diagnosis and treatment, she had a poor outcome developing persistent vegetative state.

Conclusions: COVID-19’s neurological manifestations could lead to a high risk of disability and mortality, needing an opportune detection and treatment, with a high suspicion of encephalitis and status epilepticus in patients with decrease of alertness and focal motor symptoms.

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Estatus epiléptico no convulsivo por Lupus Eritematoso Sistémico y Síndrome Antifosfolípido. Non convulsive status epilepticus due to Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Anti- phospholipid syndrome

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is a chronic disease, with the presence of autoantibodies and lymphocyte hyperactivity. The presence of antiphospholipid antibodies is associated with seizures and vasculocerebral disease. We present the case of a patient with atypical absence seizures and mild cognitive impairment.

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Calcificaciones en Ganglios de la Base en un Caso de Hipoparatiroidismo Primario. Basal Ganglia Calcification In A Case Of Primary Hypoparathyroidism

Hypoparathyroidism is characterized by an insufficient production of parathyroid hormone, resulting in hypocalcemia and hyperphosphatemia, that without proper treatment can lead to multiple complications in different organs. We present the case of a patient with primary hypoparathyroidism, with basal ganglia calcifications as a complication of the disease and the therapeutic challenge it presents to improve the symptoms and quality of life.

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Síndrome Lumbocostovertebral Asociado a Mielomeningocele. Lumbo-Costovertebral Syndrome Associated With Myelomeningocele

Lumbo-costo-vertebral syndrome is a rare anomaly that affects the vertebral bodies, the ribs and the muscles of the abdo- minal wall, and multiple additional congenital abnormalities requiring multidisciplinary management and early surgical inter- vention to avoid complications. Case presentation: A 10-day-old male infant presents with two right lumbar tumors, one that increased in size with crying consistent with a lumbar hernia, and the other a myelomeningocele. In complementary studies, it was found that the patient had fusion of the 1st and 2nd, 3rd and 4th and 11th and 12th ribs on the right, a 13th accessory rib on the right, and a 13th and 14th accessory rib on the left in addition to multiple defects in the fusion of the lumbar and sacral vertebral bodies, and a 1cm defect in the abdominal wall with protrusion of abdominal contents. The patient was diagnosed with LCVS with an associated myelomeningocele and underwent a simple closure and repair of the abdominal defect with a bovine pericardial patch, and plasty of the myelomeningocele without complications. We present this case due to the rarity with which it is reported in the literature. Conclusions: LCVS is a rare entity that merits early surgical resolution to avoid complications, in addition to multidisciplinary management.

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Carcinoma de Células de Merkel en Paciente con Esclerosis Múltiple en Tratamiento con Fingolimod. Merkel Cell Carcinoma In A Patient With Multiple Sclerosis Treated With Fingolimod

Fingolimod is a disease-modifying therapy widely used in Relapsing-Remittent Multiple Sclerosis. It blocks the capacity of lymphocytes to leave the lymph nodes, causing lymphopenia. This increases the risk of infections, but also non-melanocytic skin tumours. We report a case of Merkel cell carcinoma in a patient treated with fingolimod and a review of the literature, which helps to understand the relation between immunosuppression, opportunistic infections and cancer.

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Síndrome de Persona Rígida de Causa Paraneoplásica. Claves Diagnósticas en una Entidad Rara. Stiff Person Syndrome Of Paraneoplastic Cause. Diagnostic Keys In A Rare Entity

Introduction: Paraneoplastic disorders exert their effect through immunological mechanisms and not by direct invasion of the tumor; in this way tumors located outside the nervous system induce the production of antibodies against antigens: on the neu- ronal surface, intracellular or synaptic and affect distant sites from its location to either the central or peripheral nervous system, thus producing various clinical manifestations. One of these syndromes is the Stiff Person syndrome, which, apart from being a rare entity, occurs as a paraneoplastic syndrome in only 5% of cases.

Clinical Case: A 72-year-old male patient, a 2-month evolution that began with painful muscle spasms in the dorsal and lumbar region, evolved to rigidity with posture in axial and appendicular hyperextension, pseudospastic gait, hyperekplexia; due to the suspicion of Stiff Person syndrome a diagnostic work-up was begun finding high levels of Ab anti GAD65 and later a Non- Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The patient received immunotherapy and cancer treatment.

Conclusion: Paraneoplastic syndromes must be identified according to the clinical phenotype and the determination of an- tineuronal antibodies. High suspicion and rapid diagnosis are necessary to achieve timely treatment and avoid permanent injury.

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Síndrome de Joubert Asociado a Apnea Central del Sueño en un Adulto de Colombia. Joubert Syndrome Associated With Central Sleep Apnea In An Adult From Colombia

Introduction: The Joubert syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder, classified as a ciliopathy. The primary cilia have a role in neuronal proliferation and axonal migration in the cerebellum and brainstem. Marie Joubert and colleagues in 1969 pu- blished four cases with partial or total agenesis of the cerebellar vermis and apnea-hyperpnea neonatal episodic disorder. From an early age the principal manifestations are: abnormal breathing pattern, nystagmus, swallowing alterations, hypotonia, ataxia and intellectual disability. Classically, the neonatal breathing disorder improve with age.

Clinical case: A 39 years old, with intellectual disability and a history of a movement disorder involving a lower extremity, snoring, episodes of central apnea, hypotonia and nystagmus. He was the second child, with an uncomplicated, full-term gestation. In the clinical exam was found dysarthria, short term and semanticmemory loss, Epworth scale: 9/24. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed cerebellar vermis hypoplasia and elongation of the hemispheres as the “molar tooth sign.” Moreover, a polysomnography study found a central sleep apnea disorder.

Discussion: It is fundamental to recognize this syndrome to establish a prenatal or an early age diagnosis, for a multidisciplinary approach and an early genetic counseling. The treatment of the sleep disorder in these patients is crucial for a better quality of life.

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Cómo Reconocer el Meningioma Intraóseo: Etiología y Hallazgos por Imagen. How To Recognize Intraosseous Meningioma: Etiology And Imaging Findings

Meningiomas are the most common primary brain tumors. Primary intraosseous meningioma is a rare extradural meningioma subtype. They are usually asymptomatic but may cause proptosis or neurological symptoms depending on size and location. The most common finding in imaging tests is hyperostosis although a lytic or even mixed pattern can also be observed, so it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of cranial sclerotic bone tumors. Although most are benign, they are more likely to develop malignancy than intradural meningiomas. Imaging techniques (CT and MRI) are very useful in preoperative diagnosis and evaluation of adjacent anatomical structures. Surgical resection followed by cranial reconstruction is the treatment of choice.

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Razonamiento Clínico: Mujer de 38 Años de Edad en Puerperio Alejado con Debilidad Muscular en Hemicara Derecha. Clinical Reasoning: 38-Year-Old Woman In Remote Puerperium With Weakness In Right Side Of The Face

A case of 38-year-old woman is presented with muscular weakness in right side of the face during her remote puerperium. We reviewed the history, physical examination, and analyze the differential diagnosis, etiology and the final diagnosis.

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Tuberculosis Meníngea en un Paciente Pediátrico: Reporte de un Caso Clínico. Meningeal Tuberculosis In A Pediatric Patient: A Case Report

Tuberculosis is a global public health problem. In pediatric ages it represents between 3% and 40% of the total disea- se. In countries with high incidence, such as Ecuador, the presence of cases of childhood tuberculosis always indicates the circulation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis or contact with an untreated patient or undiagnosed. In our country there is a high percentage of underdiagnosis of childhood tuberculosis and a lower burden than expected, mainly in children under 5 years of age. Meningeal tuberculosis is the most serious form of presentation of infection by M. tuberculosis in pediatric age since it causes many deaths and disability. The diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis is achieved considering epidemiological criteria, laboratory studies in blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and neuroimaging. Early treatment improves the prognosis, but the problem lies in making an early diagnosis, since it has different forms of clinical presentation ranging from nonspecific symptoms to severe neurological involvement.

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Parálisis periódica hipocalémica: reporte de caso. Hypokalemic periodic paralysis: case report

Hypokalemic periodic paralysis is a disease included in the skeletal muscle channelopathies, characterized by attacks of muscle weakness secondary to dysfunction of Cav1.1 calcium or Nav1.4 sodium channels. We report a case of a patient with a diagnosis of episodic hypokalemic paralysis confirmed by genetic study, and a brief discussion regarding the importance of genetic analysis, its clinical and therapeutic implications.

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Hallazgos histológicos en epilepsia temporal familiar en una familia de ascendencia Maya. Histological findings in familial temporal epilepsy in a Mayan descent family

Familial temporal lobe epilepsy is a heterogeneous genetic syndrome, initially recognized in studies with twins. In this condition, many members of a family are affected by psychic or autonomic auras and focal seizures with altered consciousness. We describe two brothers, children of non-blood parents, with different phenotypes of familial temporal lobe epilepsy and drug resistance who were referred to our center for epilepsy and functional neurosurgery. The family, of Mayan descent, has a history of epilepsy in other relatives. Epilepsy surgery was performed on the two brothers while remaining seizure-free today. The histological findings in both cases were consistent with cortical focal dysplasia IIIa. It is the first Latin American report of siblings with evidence of a correlation between familial temporal lobe epilepsy and histological changes suggestive of cortical focal dysplasia IIIa.

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Cerebelo: No Sólo Función Motora – A Propósito de un Caso. Cerebellum: Not Just Motor Function – About A Case.

The cerebellum constitutes a nervous structure with multiple bidirectional connections with the prefrontal cortex. This relationship allows us to understand its importance on neurocognitive processes. Multidisciplinary evaluation of neurological conditions allows us to study in depth its impact on the emotional and cognitive sphere.

Present case study aims to analyze the neurological and neuropsychological characteristics of a 64-year-old patient with cerebellar degeneration (novo progressive cerebellar atrophy) , which has 15 years of evolution but evaluated by the neuropsychology area the last four years.

After clinical evaluation carried out in two stages, and after check standardized neurocognitive tests, significant qualitative data are observed. A progressive decline in the patient’s neurocognitive sphere is evident, mainly in executive processes, such as bradypsychia, attention deficit, cognitive rigidity, foresight deficit, and categorical evocation.

The results suggest deterioration evidenced probably related to underlying cerebellar disorder, and evidence of cortex-cerebellar circuits, such dysfunction will influence on neurocognitive processes of executive type.

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Ictus no comunicable en un adulto joven con parálisis cerebral portador del genotipo MTHFR variante C677T homocigótica. Noncommunicable stroke in a young adult with cerebral palsy carrying the homozygous variant MTHFR C677T genotype.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders that affect movement and muscle tone or posture. It is caused by damage that occurs in the immature brain as it develops, most often before birth.

Although there are few studies in the literature, it has been seen that the risk of stroke is increased in this type of patients. We present the case of a young adult with a recent stroke and CP carrying. The homozygous variant MTHFR C677T genotype, decreased folic acid and vitamin D were found. Stroke in CP context is a challenge for the clinician. Therefore, we think that the possibility of stroke should be considered in every patient with CP, suggesting primary prevention measures in every patient with CP.

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Mielopatía Espondilótica Cervical Como Un Imitador De Accidente Cerebrovascular. Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy As A Stroke Mimic.

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is the most common nontraumatic spinal cord condition in people over 55 years of age. This disorder is due to compression of the spinal cord by a stenotic cervical canal. A 55-year-old hypertensive patient with a clinical picture that simulated a stroke is described, due to a sudden onset of a right brachiocrural motor deficit, with elevated blood pressure levels in the range of hypertensive crisis. Hours later the patient presented the same motor deficit contralaterally: Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed no abnormality. The finding of atrophy in the interosseous muscles was striking. Cervical magnetic resonance imaging was performed showing a narrow spinal canal, with spinal cord hyperintensity in T2 sequences at levels C2 to C6. The most frequent causes of stroke mimics are tumors and metabolic toxic disorders. Spinal disorders represent 1.7% of all cases, CSM being a rare cause.

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Presentación rara de síndrome antifosfolípido primario asociado a hiperhomocisteinemia como causa de enfermedad cerebrovascular isquémica recurrente en varón joven. Rare presentation of primary antiphospholipid syndrome associated with hyperhomocysteinemia as a cause of recurrent ischemic stroke in young male.

We present the case of a 38-year-old male patient with a history of recurrent ischemic cerebrovascular disease without determined etiology and venous thrombosis in lower limbs. Due to the aetiological diversity of cerebral infarction in a young adult, he underwent a series of clinical tests, which resulted in the diagnosis of a primary antiphospholipid syndrome associated with hyperhomocysteinemia.

Once the diagnosis was made, he was given therapy with anticoagulants and corticoid pulses; with posterior improvement. Antiphospholipid syndrome is part of the differential diagnosis in young women with cerebral infarction; most cases have been reported in its secondary form, but finding it in primary form and in a male patient is rare. Also, increased homocysteine values are related to the severity of the first cerebrovascular event, but not to recurrent events.

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Enfermedad de Pompe de inicio tardío desencadenada por el embarazo, reporte de una variante clínica genómica descrita por primera vez en un adulto. Late onset Pompe’s disease in a woman triggered by pregnancy, a genomic clinical variant first time described in an adult.

Background: this is the first time in the world that the variant NM_000152 (GAA_V001):c.1555A˃G; p.(Met519Val), is a described in an adult woman, triggered by pregnancy. It is a substitution for a non-sense, homozygous, probably pathogenic mutation.

Case report: this is the case of a mestizo adult woman, born and resident in Ecuador, who during her breastfeeding period, after a pregnancy and cesarean delivery, it did debut with a musculoskeletal disorder. It hospitalized this patient at the Eugenio Espejo Hospital in Quito Ecuador; she has been re-admitted several times. Most relevant clinical findings were proximal muscle weakness, lower limb muscle weakness, difficulty in climbing stairs, respiratory insufficiency due to muscle weakness, edema of her lower limbs, impairment of activities of daily living, orthopnea, sleep disturbance, muscle weakness, elevated serum creatine kinase, abnormal enzyme/coenzyme activity, lumbar scoliosis, pulmonary arterial hypertension, with tricuspid regurgitation  and mild mitral regurgitation, fatty replacement of skeletal muscle, pulmonary insufficiency, skeletal myopathy  and myotonic discharges in EMG.

Conclusion: this is the first time worldwide that the variant NM_000152(GAA_V001):c.1555A˃G; p.(Met519Val), a substitution by a missense mutation, homozygous, likely pathogenic is describe in an adult. It is the first case triggered by pregnancy , first case of late onset described in Ecuador, and first case described in a mestizo woman from Ecuador.

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Síndrome de Percherón. Ictus Talámico bilateral. Percheron syndrome. Bilateral thalamic stroke.

Percheron syndrome or synchronous bilateral thalamic infarction is a rare entity with a difficult clinical diagnosis. The complex structure of the thalamus in nuclei, as well as its peculiar irrigation and individual anatomical variability means that ischemic lesions can occur bilaterally in both thalamus due to the obstruction of a single artery, characterizing this picture. We present a case with acute ischemic lesions in both thalamus and anterior midbrain, compatible with the obstruction of the Percheron artery.

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Parálisis Del III Par Craneal Con Disfunción Externa Completa y Preservación Pupilar Como Manifestación de Aneurisma. Reporte de Caso. Third Nerve Palsy With Complete External Dysfunction And Pupillary Preservation, As A Manifestation Of Aneurysm. Case Report.

Acquired paralysis of the oculomotor nerve in the adult population includes various etiologies and frequently those that produce compressive lesions, such as intracranial aneurysms, generate pupillary involvement.

Increasing reports have shown atypical clinical presentations in intracranial aneurysms and this report presents the case of a patient without internal dysfunction or with pupillary preservation in addition to complete external dysfunction, that is, paralysis of all extraocular muscles innervated by the third cranial nerve, due to an intracranial aneurysm, which has not been published in the literature so far. Considering the mortality that is implied by an aneurysmal rupture and the novel clinical presentations reported to date, it is of great importance to request diagnostic means quickly to all patients with third cranial nerve palsy, regardless of their clinical expression.

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Enfermedad de Parkinson y Respuesta Autonómica al Dolor. Parkinson’s Disease And Autonomic Pain Response.

A clinical case of PD is provided in which we analyze the autonomic involvement in response to pain, using various neurophysiological parameters. After the neurophysiological examination of pain thresholds (hand grip), this patient with 13 years history of Parkinson’s disease, showed a peripheral decrease that made the measurement of blood pressure not very stable. Sympathetic activity and nociceptive sensitivity were diminished, expressing the postganglionar noradrenergic myocardial denervation as it is widely known in parkinsonian patients. It is important to have in mind the autonomic nervous system involvement in Parkinson’s disease.

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Trombo Flotante en Arteria Carótida. Carotid Free-Floating Thrombus.

Carotid free-floating thrombus (FFT) is a rare cause of ischemic stroke, usually detected during etiologic vascular studies. There is no consensus regarding the management of carotid free-floating thrombi in those patients.

A 83-year-old male presented to the emergency department with right hemiparesis and dysarthria, consistent with finding of multiple left hemispheric brain infarcts on neuroimaging. Contrast CT showed a free-floating thrombus fixed to an atheroma plaque in left internal carotid artery (ICA). Holter monitorization registered a not previously noticed paroxystic atrial fibrillation. Due to findings, sodic heparinization was started and serial ecosonographic monitoring of the thrombus was performed. He was discharged home with a clot reduction >50% with oral anticoagulant therapy (rivaroxaban 20mg daily). At 2 months, ecographic control was realized without residual clot in left ICA.

Oral anticoagulation is currently the first therapeutic option that should be considered when a FFT is detected. In some reported case series, simple antiplatelet therapy was associated. Deferred surgical endarterectomy has a limited therapeutic gap in these patients when an ulcerated atheroma plaque or a significant stenosis carotid stenosis are detected. Surgical thrombectomy is reported only in few cases series. Endovascular therapies are steadily growing as an effective option when a FFT is detected, usually associated with distal protection devices to avoid distal embolization.

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