Bilateral internuclear and internal ophthalmoplegia due to artery of Percheron infarction

Navigating the clinical landscape of artery of Percheron infarction: A systematic review

Introduction

Infarction of the artery of Percheron (AOP) is a rare vascular condition where a single arterial branch supplies blood to the thalamic and midbrain regions, leading to neurological deficits. The challenge lies in its often-delayed diagnosis due to its rarity and diverse clinical presentations, necessitating heightened awareness among clinicians for expedited diagnosis and appropriate therapeutic interventions.

Materials and methods

All relevant studies involving patients diagnosed with infarction of AOP were retrieved from PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Scopus. Only human studies that were published in full English-language reports were included. Included in the search were the terms "Artery of Percheron," "infarction," "stroke," and "demarcation". Age, gender, presenting symptoms, treatment, recovery time, and outcome of patients with AOP infarction were all recorded.

Results

A systematic review was conducted on a total of 530 articles, out of which 130 articles met the specified requirements. The average age is 59, with men comprising 57.7% of the population. The symptoms reported were visual disturbance in 43.9% of cases and changed mental state in 77.2% of cases. Treatment options include conservative management (85.4%), thrombolysis (11.3%), and other approaches. The optimal age range for recovery is between 41 and 50 years old.

Conclusion

Our study on acute AOP infarction highlights male predominance, common comorbidities like hypertension and diabetes, and prevalent symptoms including visual disturbance and altered mental state. Early recognition is crucial, with thrombolytic therapy within the critical time window showing promising outcomes. These findings offer insights for enhanced clinical management of AOP infarction.

A Unique Case of Internuclear Ophthalmoplegia and Artery of Percheron Infarct

This case report discusses a unique presentation of an artery of Percheron (AOP) infarct resulting in rapidly resolving internuclear ophthalmoplegia (INO) without classical signs. This is the case of a 70-year-old male patient who presented to a community Emergency Department following acute code stroke activation. Physical exam and imaging studies including non-contrast CT, CT angiography, CT perfusion, and MRI were performed. A review of the literature was also conducted. MRI confirmed acute bilateral thalamic ischemic changes consistent with AOP infarcts. Symptoms of acute blurred vision, slurred speech, right hemi-face and tongue numbness, and signs of anisocoria, left INO, mild left skew deviation, and impaired convergence on the left resolved within 48 hours without intervention. The patient was discharged as neurologically normal and follow-up investigations did not identify a cause for the stroke. The literature suggests varying presentations of AOP infarcts, with INO being rare. This case deviates from classical AOP presentations, emphasizing the importance of considering AOP infarcts early in differential diagnoses, particularly with unusual neuro-ophthalmological findings. Imaging modalities such as MRI with DWI prove crucial for early diagnosis, although AOP occlusions remain challenging to detect due to the small vessel size. Our case contributes to expanding knowledge of AOP infarct presentations and underscores the need for vigilance in recognizing atypical manifestations for timely diagnosis/management.

Acute percheron infarction: a precision learning

Background

So far, the diagnosis of acute artery of percheron (AOP) infarction is uncommon. In this study, patients with acute AOP infarction were studied to explore the relationship of imaging findings, clinical manifestations and prognosis of acute AOP infarction.

Materials

A total of 23 patients with acute AOP infarction in our institution from 2014 to 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. All cases were evaluated by computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The modified Rankin scale (MRS), blood examination, electrocardiogram and transthoracic echocardiography were used for detailed clinical and prognostic evaluation. All standard risk factors for these patients were recorded. The MRS scores were performed 90 days after discharge.

Results

Four different types of acute AOP infarction were identified: (a) bilateral paramedian thalamic infarction (BPTI, 52%); (b) bilateral paramedian thalamic with rostral midbrain infarction (BPTRMI, 30%), (c) bilateral paramedian and anterior thalamic infarction (BPATI, 13%), and (d) bilateral paramedian thalamic with red nuclei infarction (BPTRNI, 4%). These patients had consciousness disorder, memory dysfunctions, vertical gaze paresis and mesencephalothalamic syndrome. The 65% of patients with BPTI and BPATI experienced relatively good functional recovery and could carry out daily life activities (MRS score ≤ 2). However, patients with BPTRMI may have an unfavorable outcome.

Conclusions

Although the clinical features are variable, DWI or ADC map can improve the diagnosis of acute AOP infarction patterns. Acute AOP occlusion requires immediate diagnosis and treatment to obtain more favorable outcome and avoid additional unnecessary procedures.