Ramsay Hunt syndrome occurs when the varicella zoster virus reactivates. Classic findings include the triad of facial paralysis, otic pain and herpetic lesions due to the pathogenesis associated with anterograde axonal reactivation of the varicella zoster virus in the geniculate ganglion. In addition to the classic triad, rare features such as a central type of vestibular function test may be observed due to the retrograde spread of the varicella zoster virus from the geniculate ganglion into the brain stem, including involvement of the vestibular nucleus. We present a case of Ramsay Hunt syndrome in a 57-year-old male patients, manifesting not only the typical triad of symptoms but also the unique features associated with brain stem involvement. This presented as direction-changing gaze-evoked nystagmus and a decrease in gain on both sides on video head impulse test. And brain magnetic resonance imaging showed a lesion in the vestibular nucleus of the brain stem.
Facial palsy can be caused by central and peripheral causes, and it can also be caused by brain tumors or infarction. A 59-year-old male, who lost his right hearing 13 years ago due to Ramsay Hunt syndrome, visited our hospital with facial palsy and dizziness. Initial brain diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed no abnormal findings, and recurrent Ramsay Hunt syndrome or a neoplastic lesion in the internal auditory canal was suspected. After hospitalization, the patient was administered high-dose steroids, and the videonystagmography showed direction-changing gaze-induced nystagmus, so a brain MRI reexamination was scheduled. While waiting for MRI, the patient complained of neurological symptoms such as diplopia, and right lower pontine infarction was diagnosed on MRI. The patient was transferred to the neurologic department and was discharged on the 10th day after conservative treatment. During the 1-year follow-up, pontine infarction did not recur, and neurological symptoms such as facial palsy gradually improved.
Because numerous important nuclei and white matter tracts are concentrated in the narrow midbrain, the tiny lesion can result in various symptoms. The anatomy of the neural network and related structures in the midbrain is complex. The most frequent clinical manifestation of lesions involving the midbrain is an eye movement disorder associated with a nuclear or fascicular origin. We have described patients with acute midbrain stroke, characterized by rare neuro-ophthalmologic manifestations, which neurologists should consider during diagnostic investigations. Case 1 showed internuclear ophthalmoplegia with Horner syndrome. In case 2 showed isolated oculomotor palsy. The third patient presented Parinaud syndrome with an unusual lesion location. Notably, patients with midbrain infarction may present with specific signs and symptoms that are compatible with mesencephalic localization. The isolated or combined neuro-ophthalmologic signs and symptoms should be interpreted in the complex anatomical context described here and investigated by immediate brainstem neuroimaging analyses and careful neurologic examinations.
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A Improved Case of Post Cerebral Infarction Dizziness and Gait Discomfort after Treated with Korean Medicine Treatment and Vestibular Rehabilitation Practice Hongmin Chu, Hyeon-Seo Lim, Kwangho Kim, Young-Ung Lee, Kyungtae Park, Jongwon Jang, Ho-sun Ryu, Su-hak Kim, Cheol-hyun Kim, Sangkwan Lee, Kang-keyng Sung Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation.2020; 30(4): 179. CrossRef
Developmental venous anomalies (DVAs), previously known as central nervous system venous angioma, are the commonly encountered benign vascular malformations. Unlike cerebellar DVAs, isolated brainstem DVAs is a rare condition, and there have been limited case reports of symptomatic and uncomplicated DVAs of the brainstem described in the literature. We present the exceptional case of spontaneous vertigo accompanied by moderate temporal headache associated with pontine DVAs. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first documented cases of DVAs as a possible cause of spontaneous recurrent vertigo.
Objectives Vestibular paroxysmia (VP) of the eighth cranial nerve is characterized by recurrent auditory and vestibular disturbances when a proximal part of the eighth cranial nerve is continuously pressed by a vessel. A detailed history and several ancillary diagnostic tools, such as tinnitogram, caloric test, auditory brainstem response (ABR) and magnetic resonance imaging, are used for diagnosis of VP. Among them, although Møller criteria using ABR is a simple method, the previous study is insufficient. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate ABR’s diagnostic value of VP.
Methods ABR records of the 14 patients (patient group) who were diagnosed with VP and 45 patients (as control) who were diagnosed with only tinnitus were reviewed retrospectively. We analyzed the differences in Møller criteria between 2 groups.
Results Mean age of the patient group was 52.9 years old and the control group was 55.4 years old. As compared with the control group, there were no significant differences of Møller 3 criteria contents (peak II wave amplitude<33% [35.7% vs. 15.5%, p=0.133], interpeak latency I–III ≥2.3 msec [42.8% vs. 35.5%, p=0.622]), Contralateral interpeak latency III–V ≥2.2 msec (0% vs. 4.4%, p=1.000) in patient group.
Conclusion There was no significant difference of ABR parameters according to the Møller criteria between patient and control groups.
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Application of ABR in pathogenic neurovascular compression of the 8th cranial nerve in vestibular paroxysmia Huiying Sun, Xu Tian, Yang Zhao, Hong Jiang, Zhiqiang Gao, Haiyan Wu Acta Neurochirurgica.2022; 164(11): 2953. CrossRef
The Effects of Different Reference Methods on Decision-Making Implications of Auditory Brainstem Response Zhenzhen Liu, Xin Wang, Mingxing Zhu, Yuchao He, Lin Li, Li Chen, Weimin Huang, Zhilong Wei, Shixiong Chen, Yan Chen, Guanglin Li, Plácido R. Pinheiro Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine.2022; 2022: 1. CrossRef
The Effects of Random Stimulation Rate on Measurements of Auditory Brainstem Response Xin Wang, Mingxing Zhu, Oluwarotimi Williams Samuel, Xiaochen Wang, Haoshi Zhang, Junjie Yao, Yun Lu, Mingjiang Wang, Subhas Chandra Mukhopadhyay, Wanqing Wu, Shixiong Chen, Guanglin Li Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.2020;[Epub] CrossRef
Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is a rare, but important bacterial pathogen causing central nervous system infection in the elderly, pregnant women, and immunocompromised patients. A 60-year-old man with diabetes presented with headache, fever and rapidly progressive ophthalmoplegia. Based on serological and MRI studies, he was diagnosed with rhombencephalitis due to L. monocytogenes. The patient recovered without complications with urgent initiation of empirical antibiotics and the pathogen-specific antibiotic treatment. L. monocytogenes should be considered as a cause of rhombencephalitis presenting as external ophthalmoplegia.