Clinical outcomes of the lateral medullary syndrome: A case report

Abstract

Introduction: Lateral medullary syndrome (LMS) is a rare stroke and often results from thrombosis or emboli of the vertebral artery or posterior-inferior cerebellar artery. There is a wide range of clinical manifestations found in this syndrome and treatment is done usually as symptomatic. Case Presentation: We present the case of an Iranian 45-year-old man with a history of vertigo, ataxia, hiccup, and eye abnormalities lasting for three days in Mahshahr city, Khuzestan province, Iran. We followed the clinical outcomes including signs and symptoms, additional diagnostic tests, treatments, and possible complications over six months. The purpose of this study is to aid the better recognition of LMS patients and initiate further interventional research. Conclusions: Most of the neurological symptoms of LMS recovered or completely resolved after six months. The patient reported an occasional mild headache, reduced left side paresthesia and right side hypoesthesia. Ataxia and fall down on the left side considerably improved. The visual abnormalities were not observed in the eye and neurological examinations, but the patient did report mild dry eyes. Other clinical presentations, such as fine tremors in the right hand, left-sided dysmetria, dizziness, and earache, were completely resolved.