Asymptomatic carotid stenosis refers to atherosclerotic narrowing of the extracranial internal carotid artery, most commonly involving the proximal internal carotid artery at or just distal to the carotid bifurcation. To…
Spinal cord infarction (SCI) is a rare but devastating disorder. A majority of infarctions involve anterior spinal cord and present with acute quadriparesis or paraparesis depending on the level of…
Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a common congenital cardiac finding. The foramen ovale allows for unidirectional blood flow from the right atria to the left atria while in utero, and…
Ischemic stroke in a young adult (generally considered age < 60 years), particularly when traditional vascular risk factors are absent, should raise suspicion for an unusual stroke mechanism. A. Evaluate…
Mechanisms of ischemic stroke are heterogeneous, and therapies to prevent recurrent stroke vary based on underlying mechanism. Determining the specific cause of stroke in the individual patient is therefore critical….
Because of its unique position abutting the brainstem, infarction of the cerebellum can lead to a compression of the fourth ventricle with resulting hydrocephalus, direct compressive brainstem injury, and downward…
“Malignant” infarction refers to a large hemispheric ischemic stroke characterized by severe cerebral edema; such infarction can lead to midline shift with resultant compression of contralateral hemispheric structures and downward…
When a patient presents with acute focal neurologic deficits consistent with ischemic stroke, the immediate goal is to determine whether the patient is eligible for reperfusion therapies with intravenous thrombolysis…
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) represents focal brain ischemia that reverses before leaving a permanent neurologic deficit. Most TIAs present suddenly and last for minutes, though on occasion symptoms can…
Dysfunction of either the brainstem or both cerebral hemispheres is necessary for loss of consciousness (LOC) to occur. Syncope, caused by global hypoperfusion of the brain due to a drop…
