Prevention of trigeminocardiac reflex-induced severe bradycardia during cerebral aneurysm clipping surgery by topical anesthesia of the dura surface and atropine administration: a case report

Background Trigeminocardiac reflex (TCR) by stimulation of the sensory branch of the trigeminal nerve induces transient bradycardia and hypotension. We report a case in which light mechanical stimulation to the dura mater during brain surgery induced severe bradycardia. Case presentation A 77-year-old woman with bradycardia-tachycardia syndrome was scheduled for clipping of an unruptured left middle cerebral artery aneurysm. General anesthesia was performed with propofol, remifentanil, and rocuronium. Before starting surgery, the function of the pyramidal tract was examined by motor evoked potential. Transcranial electric stimulation for motor evoked potential induced atrial fibrillation and tachycardia. Continuous administration of landiolol was started and verapamil was used for tachycardia. During detachment of the dura mater from the bone, an electrocardiogram suddenly showed sinus arrest for 6 s. Immediately after the manipulation was interrupted, a junctional rhythm appeared. However, light touch to the dura mater induced severe bradycardia again, and atropine was therefore administered. In addition, the dura surface was anesthetized with topical lidocaine infiltration. After that, light touch-induced bradycardia was prevented. Conclusions We experienced a case of severe bradycardia during surgery due to TCR caused by light mechanical stimulation to the dura mater. Topical anesthesia of the dura surface and atropine administration were effective for preventing TCR-induced bradycardia.

A Comprehensive Overview of Broca’s Aphasia after Ischemic Stroke

Aphasia denotes an acquired central disorder of language, which alters patient’s ability of understanding and/or producing spoken and written language. The main cause of aphasia is represented by ischemic stroke. The language disturbances are frequently combined into aphasic syndromes, contained in different vascular syndromes, which may suffer evolution/involution in the acute stage of ischemic stroke. The main determining factor of the vascular aphasia’s form is the infarct location. Broca’s aphasia is a non-fluent aphasia, comprising a wide range of symptoms (articulatory disturbances, paraphasias, agrammatism, anomia, and discrete comprehension disorders of spoken and written language) and is considered the third most common form of acute vascular aphasia, after global and Wernicke’s aphasia. It is caused by a lesion situated in the dominant cerebral hemisphere (the left one in right-handed persons), in those cortical regions vascularized by the superior division of the left middle cerebral artery (Broca’s area, the rolandic operculum, the insular cortex, subjacent white matter, centrum semiovale, the caudate nucleus head, the putamen, and the periventricular areas). The role of this chapter is to present the most important acquirements in the field of language and neurologic examination, diagnosis, and therapy of the patient with Broca’s aphasia secondary to ischemic stroke.

Adjuvant hyperbaric oxygen treatment of acute brain herniation after microsurgical clipping of a recurring cerebral aneurysm: a case report

Introduction: Acute brain herniation is a life-threatening neurological condition that occasionally develops due to severe complications following cerebral aneurysm clipping. Strategies for managing acute brain herniation have not improved substantially during the past decade. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) may alleviate harmful effects of cerebral hypoxia, which is one of the most important pathophysiological features of acute brain herniation and, therefore, may be useful as an adjuvant therapy for acute brain herniation. A case treated with adjuvant HBOT is reported. Case report: A 60-year-old asymptomatic man presented with a recurring left middle cerebral artery bifurcation aneurysm with previous stent-assisted embolisation. After craniotomy for surgical clipping of the aneurysm, disturbance of consciousness and right hemiplegia occurred. Computed tomography (CT) images suggested simultaneous cerebral ischaemia and intracranial haemorrhage. Pharmacologic treatment resulted in no improvement. A CT scan acquired five days after surgery showed uncal and falcine herniation. HBOT was administered five days after surgery, and the patient’s condition dramatically improved. He became conscious, and his hemiplegia improved following seven sessions of HBOT. Simultaneously, CT images showed regression of the acute brain herniation. Conclusions: The patient had recovered completely at one year post-treatment. HBOT may be effective in the treatment of acute brain herniation following cerebral aneurysm clipping.

Unusual Intracranial Manifestation of Infective Endocarditis

Objective: The mycotic aneurysm is a rare intracranial pathology seen with pre-existing infective endocarditis. It has a high mortality rate due to its risk of rupture and needs early diagnosis and treatment. Methods: A 23-year male patient who presented with infective endocarditis subsequently developed a left parietal-temporal intracranial haemorrhage with suspicion of aneurysm after the course of antibiotic treatment as seen on Computed Tomography (CT) scan. Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) revealed a ruptured fusosaccular aneurysm in the distal parietal branches of the left Middle Cerebral Artery (MCA), for which glue embolization of the distal parent artery and aneurysm was done. Result: The interventional endovascular procedure was done with complete obliteration of the distal parent artery, mycotic aneurysm, and normal filling of the left internal cerebral artery (ICA) branches. Conclusion: Mycotic intracranial aneurysms (MIA) are a rare form of cerebrovascular pathology which needs early diagnosis with endovascular intervention when rupture occurs.

De novo aneurysm formation after the contralateral middle cerebral aneurysm clipping operation: a case report and review of literature

A left middle cerebral artery aneurysm was ruptured and clipped, but a de novo aneurysm on contralateral side ruptured within 5 years in a 38-year-old man. The cause of the formation of de novo aneurysms is unknown and is not consistent with most of current reports.

Fetal posterior communicating artery as a conduit for concurrent anterior and posterior circulation infarct: A case report

Fetal type posterior cerebral artery (FTPCA) is a variant of posterior circulation of brain, in which the distal part of posterior cerebral artery (PCA) is perfused by a branch of internal carotid artery (ICA) via fetal posterior communicating artery (fetal PCOM). In the presence of fetal PCOM, a paradoxical concurrent infarction of anterior and posterior circulation may happen. We report a 67-year-old man who presented with sudden onset right sided weakness and aphasia, with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score of 22 and clinically diagnosed to have left total anterior circulation infarct (TACI). Subsequently, he received IV Alteplase as a standard hyperacute ischemic stroke treatment. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) of brain showed left FTPCA with prominent left fetal PCOM. Subsequent computed tomography (CT) of brain showed concurrent left middle cerebral artery (MCA) and PCA territories infarct. CTA brain is commonly done in ischemic stroke cases to assess presence of large vessel occlusions and intracranial or extracranial atherosclerotic disease. However, this case depicts its additional role in detecting anatomical variants of cerebral circulation. In terms of clinical importance, presence of multiple territories infarction portends a poorer neurological outcome.

Embolic MCA Stroke Treated With tPA and TICI-3 Mechanical Thrombectomy Complicated by Hemiballismus: A Case Study and Literature Review

ABSTRACT This report examines the etiology of hemiballistic movements that began 24 hours after a 63-year-old male with vascular risk factors received tissue plasminogen activator (tPa) and thrombolysis in cerebral ischemia 3 (TICI3) thrombectomy for a left middle cerebral artery (MCA) ischemic stroke. The clinical course was reviewed from an admission at a large academic institution where assessments included physical exams, head and neck computed tomography angiography (CTA), and head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) without contrast. The patient’s initial physical exam was consistent with a left MCA syndrome and included a National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) of 20. CTA showed an embolic M2 occlusion. After tPA and TICI 3 thrombectomy, NIHSS improved to 3 for dysarthria, facial weakness, and language deficits. MRI showed left insular diffusion restriction. New right-sided hemiballistic movements began 24 hours after treatment. At his six-week follow-up outpatient appointment, the movements were no longer present, and his neurologic exam was unremarkable, including an NIHSS of zero. No prior cases of hemiballism have been reported as a likely complication of treatment with tPa and thrombectomy. The globus pallidus is the suspected origin of the ballistic movements either from a decreased insular signal or embolic event during treatment. As stroke interventions improve, the susceptibility of certain tissues to brief ischemic events during treatment must be assessed.

Bee sting leading to stroke: a case report and review of the literature

In India, bee stings are very common, seen mainly in farmers and honey collectors. Usually, it presents with local reactions and anaphylaxis. It rarely requires urgent hospitalisation. Other major complications seen are acute renal failure, intravascular coagulation, rhabdomyolysis and acute pulmonary oedema. Stroke as a presentation is uncommon. We report a case of a 45-year-old man presenting with right-sided hemiplegia and aphasia due to multiple bee stings. Diffusion MRI showed left middle cerebral artery territory hyperacute infarct.

Mechanical thrombectomy through a ‘carotid–carotid bypass’

An elderly patient presented with acute-onset right-sided weakness and aphasia. A large penumbra was noted in the left middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory without any infarct core. The patient was noted to have a carotid–carotid bypass. This posed certain technical challenge in accessing the intracranial circulation across the carotid bypass; however, the guiding catheter with soft distal segment was successfully navigated coaxially over the aspiration catheter across the bypass and intracranial circulation was accessed for mechanical thrombectomy. Complete recanalisation and reperfusion were achieved with significant neurological recovery of the patient post-thrombectomy. The aim of this report is to emphasise on this rarely encountered situation in thrombectomy and its successful management. The procedure should not be delayed or deferred due to lack of operator experience.

Successful endovascular coiling of infectious cerebral aneurysm following Staphylococcus haemolyticus endocarditis

Recent reports suggest that Staphylococcus haemolyticus can cause infective endocarditis (IE). However, no data are available regarding infectious intracranial aneurysm (IIA) following S. haemolyticus endocarditis. Endovascular coiling is a challenging approach for the treatment of IIA. We describe the case of a 63-year-old woman who suddenly developed aphasia and dysarthria following an acute cerebral infarction in her left insular and temporal cortex. After a total hysterectomy at the age of 39, the patient had suffered from recurrent bacterial pyomyositis in her legs. At admission, there was no evidence of cerebral aneurysm, as assessed by magnetic resonance angiography, and no vegetation, as assessed by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), resulting in an incorrect diagnosis. However, subarachnoid hemorrhage and development of cerebral aneurysm in the left middle cerebral artery occurred within 1 week of hospitalization. Continuous positive blood culture results and a second TEE finally revealed that IE was caused by S. haemolyticus. Coil embolization of the IIA was successful on day 26 after symptom onset; after this procedure, the patient began to recover. This case demonstrates that S. haemolyticus-induced endocarditis can cause IIA. Endovascular coiling is a potentially effective approach to treat IIA.