Stridor in Bilateral Medial Medullary Infarction: A Case Report, Literature Review, and Pathophysiologic Insights Into a Rare Presentation of an Uncommon Stroke

Less than 1% of all posterior circulation infarctions present as medial medullary syndrome, bilateral being even rarer (1,2). Recently we came across a patient with bilateral medial medullary infarction with unique and characteristic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This 45-year-old gentleman (chronic smoker and hypertensive) presented with sudden onset vertigo, dysphonia, inability to cough along with quadriplegia. Examination revealed high blood pressure (170/ 100 mmHg), low single breath count (10), horizontal gaze evoked nystagmus, reduced bilateral palatal movements, absent gag reflex, hypotonic quadriplegia, brisk deep tendon jerks, bilateral extensor plantars and impaired proprioception in all four limbs. A provisional diagnosis of stroke in vertebro-basilar artery territory was made and he was evaluated. MRI brain revealed ‘heart’ shaped hyperintensities in bilateral ventral medulla (Fig. 1a–c) and acute infarct in upper cervical cord with thrombus in the distal V3 and proximal V4 part of the right vertebral artery on magnetic resonance angiography, thereby confirming the diagnosis of bilateral medial medullary and anterior spinal artery infarction. Cardiac evaluation and prothrombotic workup was normal. He was started on aspirin 150 mg, atorvastatin 40 mg, and required mechanical ventilation. He recovered gradually and at five-months follow-up, he is ambulant and independent in activities of daily living, though he has residual mild quadriparesis. The ‘heart’ sign described in the image is considered characteristic of bilateral medial medullary infarction and occurs due to infarction in the bilateral anteromedial (supplied by branches of vertebral artery and anterior spinal artery) and anterolateral (fed by short and long transverse branches of vertebral artery) vascular territories of the medulla (3,4). Rostral median branches of the vertebral artery penetrate the midline to supply the contralateral anteromedial arterial territory, thus explaining bilateral infarction with unilateral vertebral artery occlusion (4).

We report a patient with bilateral medial medullary infarctions, which is a rare type of ischemic stroke. A 64-year-old Japanese man demonstrated bilateral hemiplegia, sensory dysfunction, ataxia, and dysphagia. The left-dominant but bilateral medial medulla lesions indicated hyperintensity on the T2-weighted image at 1.5 months after the onset. On the time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography (TOF-MRA) performed at the onset, the right vertebral artery was partially narrowed and the left vertebral artery was not confirmed. Basi-parallel anatomical scanning-magnetic resonance imaging (BPAS-MRI) revealed that both sides of the vertebral arteries had a uniform diameter, which means there was no arterial hypoplasia nor arterial dissection. These results suggest that atherosclerosis in the bilateral vertebral artery caused occlusion of the perforator artery, resulting in the bilateral medial medullary infarctions. The combined use of TOF-MRA and BPAS-MRI could help improve the accuracy of diagnosis and be helpful for post-stroke management.

Vocal Cord Paralysis

This study aimed to characterize the risk factors, etiology, clinical manifestations, anatomical characteristics, stroke mechanisms, imaging features, and prognosis of bilateral medial medullary infarction (BMMI). A retrospective analysis was conducted on 11 patients with BMMI who met the inclusion criteria at the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from January 2013 to January 2023. The patients' imaging and clinical features were analyzed and summarized. Eleven patients (7 male, 4 female), aged 46 to 62 years, met the inclusion criteria. Common clinical presentations included dysarthria (90.9%), dysphagia (90.9%), quadriplegia (81.8%), and so on. Within 72 hours of onset, 8 cases presented with quadriplegia, 2 cases with hemiplegia, and 1 case without limb paralysis. The main risk factor for BMMI was hypertension, followed by diabetes. "Heart appearance" infarcts occurred in 4 cases (36.4%), while "Y appearance" infarcts occurred in 7 cases (63.6%). Among the patients, 3 had unilateral vertebral artery stenosis or occlusion, 5 had bilateral vertebral artery stenosis or occlusion, 2 had normal vertebral basilar artery, and 1 did not undergo cerebrovascular examination. All patients received standardized treatment for cerebral infarction. The prognosis was poor, with 81.8% of patients having an unfavorable outcome, including 1 death, 9 cases of disability, and only 1 patient achieving self-care ability after recovery. BMMI is more prevalent in males aged 45 to 60 years. The main risk factors are hypertension and diabetes. Atherosclerosis is the primary etiological subtype. The main clinical manifestations are dyskinesia, dizziness, quadriplegia, and dysarthria. The prognosis of BMMI is poor. The specific imaging features of "heart appearance" or "Y appearance" infarcts aid in the diagnosis of BMMI.

Bilateral medial medullary infarction (BMMI) is a rare type of posterior circulation stroke. The aim of this study is to characterize its stroke mechanisms, clinical manifestations, neuroradiological features, and prognosis. From January 2015 to June 2021, a retrospective review of 15 patients diagnosed with BMMI was conducted. The clinical and neuroradiological features were summarized by our experienced neurologists. Fifteen patients (12 male, 3 female), ranging in age from 48 to 72years, satisfied the inclusion criteria. The common clinical presentations included motor weakness (100%), deep sensory disturbance (93.3%), vertigo/dizziness (80%), dysarthria (93.3%), and dysphagia (66.7%). Vertically, infarct lesions in the rostral medulla were observed in all included patients. Horizontally, "heart appearance," "Y appearance," and "fan appearance" infarcts occurred in 9 cases (60%), 5 cases (33.3%), and 1 (6.7%) case, respectively. Patients (53.3%) had severe stenosis or occlusion in unilateral vertebral artery (VA), and 33.3% had normal findings in the vertebrobasilar artery. Patients (93.3%) achieved poor prognosis. BMMI is more frequently located in the rostral medulla and comprises three forms of infarction. The two main stroke etiologies of BMMI are large-artery atherosclerosis (LAA) and small vessel disease (SVD). BMMI is always associated with bad clinical outcome.

Objective To study the clinical manifestations，etiology，magnetic resonance imaging features，prognosis of patients with bilateral medial medullary infarction. Methods The clinical information of two case reports were summarized with review of the literature. Results The 2 patients with bilateral medial medullary infarction reported here were manifested with progressive quadriplegia，both complicated with respiratory disorders.On etiology，both were due to atherosclerosis，and one was combined with congenital vascular variation.The“Y shaped”hyperintense signals were seen in diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) cross-section in the medulla oblongata level.And both had poor outcomes that one was dead and the other was discharged with tracheotomy and severe sequela. Conclusions Bilateral medial medullary infarction is presented with complicated symptoms such as quadriplegia，dysarthria，hypoglossoplegia，even respiratory failure，in which quadriplegia is most often seen，and it is associated with a poor clinical prognosis.DWIappears the characteristic“Y Shaped”sign. Key words: Cerebral infarction; Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging; Prognosis

“A storm in the middle” evolution of a lateral medullary syndrome to a bilateral medial medullary infarct: A case report

Bilateral medial medullary infarction is a rare subtype of stroke.The typical heart-shaped appearance on magnetic resonance imaging is pathognomonic for bilateral medial medullary syndrome. Vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia is a condition characterized by tortuous dilatation and marked enlargement of the basilar and vertebral arteries, and it may cause posterior circulation infarction. We present the case of a 55-year-old female patient with complaints of speech disorder, regression in consciousness, and difficulty breathing. Diffusion-weighted imaging examination was normal on arrival. In the cranial imaging after 24 hours, acute infarction was observed in the bilateral medial medullary area. Time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography revealed vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia. In this report, a case of bilateral medial medullary infarction with a unique radiological appearance accompanied by vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia, which is rarely reported in the literature, is presented. Keywords: Stroke, infarct, bilateral medial medullary infarction, heart appearance.

We report a bilateral medial medullary infarction in which diffusion-weighted images revealed a unique configuration: a heart appearance sign. If it is early diagnosed, it might predict a poor outcome. An 85-year-old man developed dysarthria and numbness in his four limbs and was transferred to our hospital. Brain MR diffusion-weighted images revealed a high-intensity lesion in the bilateral medial medulla oblongata -- a heart appearance sign -- and we diagnosed a bilateral medial medullary infarction. Although his symptom changed aggressively for the worse, it finally changed for the better without bulbar paralysis, and he was transferred to another hospital for rehabilitation. When the medial medulla oblongata is supplied by the unilateral control of the anterior spinal artery, its occlusion can cause a bilateral medial medullary infarction.

A 78-year-old woman presented with weakness of the extremities, dysarthria, dizziness, and sensory impairment. Magnetic resonance imaging showed acute bilateral medial medullary infarction. Contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography demonstrated stenosis or occlusion of both intracranial vertebral arteries. We present a rare case of bilateral medullary infarction seen on diffusion-weighted imaging.

Vocal cord palsy (VCP) is a potential cause of hoarseness that results in decreasing mobility of the vocal cord. VCP can arise from a variety of causes; so, systematic screening is warranted for the management of patients with VCP. Asymmetrical fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in vocal cords is a well-known feature in patients with VCP, but no detailed analysis has been performed. This study aimed at reevaluating the (18)F-FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for patients with VCP. We retrospectively surveyed the results of FDG-PET/CT for 59 patients with VCP, compared to laryngoscopic findings. Quantitative analysis was performed using maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), and regions of interest were drawn over bilateral vocal cords as confirmed from the CT portion of PET/CT. Patients were divided into 3 groups: Group 1 (n = 14), in which VCP was caused by the lesion of the laryngeal area; Group 2 (n = 40), in which VCP was caused by the lesion on the root of the recurrent laryngeal nerve; and Group 3 (n = 5), in which VCP was caused by the lesion from the vagal center to the proximal vagus nerve. For Group 1, higher FDG uptake in the paralyzed vocal cord was seen in 86 % of patients (mean SUVmax 8.1 ± 5.3 vs. 2.3 ± 0.4, paralyzed vs. non-paralyzed, respectively; P < 0.002). The sensitivity of FDG-PET/CT for indicating the lesion causing VCP was 79 % for Group 1. Group 2 showed dominant FDG uptake in the non-paralyzed vocal cord (mean SUVmax 2.1 ± 0.9 vs. 1.5 ± 0.4, non-paralyzed vs. paralyzed, respectively; P < 0.001). The sensitivity of FDG-PET/CT for indicating the lesion causing VCP was 93 % for Group 2. Group 3 showed no statistically significant difference in FDG accumulation between non-paralyzed and paralyzed vocal cords (mean SUVmax 1.8 ± 0.3 vs. 1.7 ± 0.3, non- paralyzed vs. paralyzed, respectively; P = 0.30). The sensitivity of FDG-PET/CT for indicating the lesion causing VCP was 60 % for Group 3. FDG accumulation in the vocal cords is dependent on the lesion site causing VCP. In addition, FDG-PET/CT can contribute to identification of the lesion responsible for inducing VCP.

In late December 2019, a series of unexplained cases of pneumonia were reported in Wuhan, China. On January 12, 2020, the World Health Organization temporarily named the virus responsible for the emerging cases of pneumonia as the 2019 coronavirus. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to Covid-19 has rapidly spread around the world, and while no specific treatment or vaccine has been reported, mortality rates remain high. One of the suggested treatments for cellular damage in the pathogenesis of ARDS caused by the coronavirus is the administration of high doses of intravenous vitamin C. Considering the paucity of literature on the therapeutic effects of high doses of intravenous vitamin C in patients with ARDS resulting from the coronavirus, this study was conducted to assess this therapeutic supplement in these patients. This study was performed as a single-center clinical trial in patients with a documented diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia. 54 eligible patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 symptoms, based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, were included in the investigation and randomly divided into two groups. The control group consisted of 26 patients who received standard treatment, whereas the treatment group was comprised of 18 patients administered intravenous vitamin C at a dose of 2 g every 6 hours for 5 days in addition to standard treatment. Demographic characteristics, underlying diseases, length of hospital stay, and mortality rates were reviewed and collected. Oxygen saturation, respiratory rates, serum C Reactive Protein (CRP) levels, lymphopenia and lung parenchymal involvement on CT were investigated at the time of admission and on the sixth day after hospitalization. Finally, all variables were analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics 23 software and a significant statistical difference was defined for all variables, P <0.05. Of these variables, the amount of oxygen saturation in the vitamin C group increased significantly from 86±5% on the first day of hospitalization to 90±3% on the sixth day of hospitalization (P value=0.02). Also, the respiratory rate in the vitamin C group decreased significantly from 27±3 on the first day of hospitalization to 24±3 on the sixth day of hospitalization (P value=0.03). Lung CT scans of patients in the two groups reported by two radiologists were also compared. Based on the report of the radiologists, the rate of lung involvement in the vitamin C group was significantly lower than in the control group at the end of treatment (P value=0.02). Due to the effectiveness of high doses of intravenous vitamin C on reducing lung involvement and improving clinical symptoms, further studies with a larger sample size are recommended to demonstrate the effects of this drug supplement.

A 70-year-old man with hypertension and diabetes mellitus had an episode of giddiness followed by numbness and mild weakness of the right upper and lower limbs. He woke up the...

Bilateral Medial Medullary Infarction with Nondominant Vertebral Artery Occlusion

BackgroundThe etiologic determinants of cryptogenic stroke remain a diagnostic challenge in clinical practice. Fabry disease (FD) is one of the monogenic causes of stroke that may remain unrecognized as a potential contributing causative factor, because of its rarity and difficulty in diagnosis. We report a case with rare bilateral medial medullary infarction manifesting as “heart appearance” who was diagnosed with FD.Case presentationA 51-year-old Chinese man presented with acute dysarthria and mild tetraparesis. In the 24 h following admission, the patient rapidly developed progressive flaccid quadriplegia and tongue weakness, necessitating ventilator support. Immediate magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed heart-shaped appearance of bilateral medial medullary infarction. The patient suffered two new subcortical infarcts 40 days after the first. Detailed Family history and physical examination indicated symptoms consistent with FD, which was confirmed by very low alpha galactosidase A levels and a missense mutation of the alpha-galactosidase A gene.ConclusionsWe report what appears to be the first case of FD manifesting as bilateral medial medullary infarction. Our case suggests that clinicians should consider the possibility of FD in patients with cryptogenic stroke, especially when combined with infarction in the vertebrobasilar artery system, renal insufficiency, or cardiomyopathy. A detailed analysis of subtle historical clues and performing a complete physical examination on stroke patients would help promote earlier diagnosis of FD.