Isolated pseudo‑abducens palsy and contralateral occipital headache with thalamic stroke: A case report and mini‑review of the literature

Pitton Rissardo,Jamir; Ali,Hossam Tharwat; Riaz,Asad; Fornari Caprara,Ana Leticia

doi:10.3892/mi.2024.142

March-April 2024 Volume 4 Issue 2

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Isolated pseudo‑abducens palsy and contralateral occipital headache with thalamic stroke: A case report and mini‑review of the literature

Authors:
- Jamir Pitton Rissardo
- Hossam Tharwat Ali
- Asad Riaz
- Ana Leticia Fornari Caprara
View Affiliations / Copyright

Affiliations: Department of Neurology, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ 08103, USA, Qena Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Qena Governorate 83621, Egypt, Ayub Teaching Hospital, Islamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory 44000, Pakistan, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil

Copyright: © Pitton Rissardo et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License [CC BY 4.0].
Article Number: 18
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Published online on: February 22, 2024

https://doi.org/10.3892/mi.2024.142
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Abstract

The abducens nerve (sixth cranial nerve) is essential for lateral eye movement, and its malfunction can cause a variety of issues with vision. Pseudo‑abducens palsy is a rare neurological condition that causes a limitation in eye abduction, while the abducens nerve is still functioning. Thalamic pain syndrome, a severe complication of cerebrovascular events, presents as intense neuropathic pain provoked by temperature fluctuations. Although thalamic strokes are infrequently associated with ocular abnormalities, some studies suggest an association between isolated pseudo‑abducens palsy and thalamic infarctions. The present study describes the case of a 38‑year‑old male patient with 1‑day progressive diplopia and occipital headache who had abducens palsy on the left side as a result of a right thalamic infarction. The patient had a 10‑year history of smoking and a 1‑year history of hypertension, which was poorly controlled. The diagnosis was supported by a neurological examination, imaging and stroke etiology investigations. The patient recovered well within 5 days, highlighting the good prognosis of an acute thalamic presentation. In addition, a mini‑review of the literature was performed and two similar reports were identified upon searching the literature using the Embase, Google Scholar, Lilacs, Medline, SciELO and ScienceDirect databases. On the whole, the present study demonstrates that understanding the complex neuronal connections inside the thalamus is critical for a proper diagnosis and appropriate intervention strategies in patients with thalamic stroke with oculomotor impairments. Further research is required to elucidate the underlying causes and develop treatment techniques for thalamic infarction consequences.

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Journals

International Journal of Molecular Medicine

International Journal of Oncology

Molecular Medicine Reports

Oncology Reports

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine

Oncology Letters

Biomedical Reports

Molecular and Clinical Oncology

World Academy of Sciences Journal

International Journal of Functional Nutrition

International Journal of Epigenetics

Medicine International

Isolated pseudo‑abducens palsy and contralateral occipital headache with thalamic stroke: A case report and mini‑review of the literature

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