Endovascular treatment of a basilar artery dissecting aneurysm

Abstract

-Fasciculations are symptoms present in a broad spectrum of conditions, ranging from normal manifestations to motor neuron diseases. They also represent the main picture of benign fasciculation syndrome. We report a case of such syndrome: a 48-years-old woman complaining about fasciculations for three decades who remained with the symptoms even after the compensation of a disclosed hyperthyroidism. The introduction of gabapentin rendered control of her fasciculations. The available data in the literature about the therapeutic approaches for fasciculations are revised, as long as the rare reports of evolution from patients with "benign" fasciculations to cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, underlining the importance of following the patients with fasciculations.KEY WORDS: benign fasciculations, gabapentin, motor neuron disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Fasciculações benignas responsivas à gabapentinaRESUMO -Fasciculações são sintomas presentes em um amplo espectro de condições, desde manifestações normais até doenças do neurônio motor. Elas representam também o principal aspecto da síndrome de fasciculações benignas. Relatamos um caso desta síndrome: uma paciente de 48 anos com queixas de fasciculações por três décadas que, mesmo após a compensação de um quadro de hipertireoidismo, permaneceu com os sintomas. A introdução de gabapentina levou a controle das fasciculações. Os dados disponíveis na literatura sobre as abordagens terapêuticas para fasciculações são revisados, assim como os raros relatos de evolução de pacientes com fasciculações "benignas" para casos de esclerose lateral amiotrófica, salientando a importância do seguimento dos pacientes com fasciculações. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: fasciculações benignas, gabapentina, doenças do neurônio motor, esclerose lateral amiotrófica.

Another perspective on fasciculations: when is it not caused by the classic form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or progressive spinal atrophy?

“…In 1963, Reed and Kurland warned that the presence of fasciculations was not necessarily a prelude to the onset of a progressive and lethal disease, due to the involvement of the lower motor neuron. 8 Since then, several authors have explored this topic, defining a benign fasciculation syndrome (BFS), that most frequently affects young healthcare professionals, 9 , 10 who, in some cases, have already developed dyspnea. 11 An interesting Australian prospective study published recently examined the cases of 20 physicians (20 consecutive cases) complaining of fasciculations.…”