Unilateral Opercular Infarction Presenting with Foix-Chavany-Marie Syndrome

Abstract

A 76-year-old man with a history of pontine, cerebellar infaction suddenly became speechless during the procedure of percutaneous coronary intervention. On examination, he was unable to close his mouth voluntarily, but spontaneous closing was preserved when smiling. He had anarthria and hypophonia, although his comprehension was preserved. He also had a severe dysphagia. Radiological studies revealed an acute stroke in the left anterior operculum, indicating Foix-Chavany-Marie Syndrome (FCMS) caused by a unilateral opercular lesion. Pathophysiology of the previous cases reported as unilateral FCMS remains controversial, but in our case, it could be delineated by the combination of the new lesion in the unilateral operculum and the old one in the contralateral pons. Since FCMS is not only related to biopercular lesions, we should consider thorough radiologic examination to clarify its anatomic basis.