Differences in long term sensory sequelae between lateral and medial medullary infarction

Abstract

Differences in long term sensory sequelae between lateral and medial medullary infarction J.S. Kim, S. Choi-Kwon (Seoul, Korea) Background To compare long term sensory sequelae of the lateral medullary infarction (LMI) and medial medullary infarction (MMI). Methods We studied 55 (41 LMI and 14 MMI) patients who were followed up > 6 months. The nature and intensity of sensory symptoms were assessed by McGill-Melzack pain questionnaire and visual analogue scale, respectively. Results After the mean follow up of 21 months, sensory symptoms were the most important, and the second most important sequelae in LMI patients and MMI patients, respectively. In LMI patients, the symptoms were most often described as cold (38%), numb (29%) and burning (27%) while MMI patients described them as numb (60%), squeezing (30%) and cold (10%). LMI patients significantly more often cited cold environment as an aggravating factor, and more often had a delayed-onset pain than MMI patients. Conclusions: The nature, the mode of onset and aggravating factors of the sensory sequelae are different between LMI and MMI patients, which may be related to selective involvement of the spinothalamic tract by the former and the medial lemniscus by the latter. We suggest that the mechanisms for central post-stroke pain may differ according to the site of damages on the sensory tracts. NXY-059: Neuroprotective Effects in a Rat Focal Stroke