Lateral syndrome of the medulla oblongata (Wallenberg's syndrome) as a complication of a vertebral angiography: a case report

Abstract

A bibliographic review did not show us a case report similar to the present one in which a medulla oblongata's lateral syndrome (Wallenberg's syndrome) had complicated a vertebral angiography made through direct vessel's puncture.In the case of Sahadevan and col. In the anamnesis there are references to a symptomatology of a simple diving goiter (October 1967), found out through a chest planigraphy. After surgery, she presented a dysphonia resulting from an involvement of the left recurrent nerve, and approximately at the same time, hallucinatory vision of objects or images at the right fields of vision. Later, these subjective sensations were replaced by nondifferentiated phosphenes and haze, always in the right fields of vision. On February 1st, 1968, a neuro-ophtalmologic examination showed only a right subtotal homonymous hemianopsia; the visual acuity was intact; the pupillary reflexes, extrinsic motricity, ocular pressure, corneal sensibility, eye ground, and ophtalmodynamometry were normal. At the physical examination, slight telangiectasias in the lower limbs were observed. Blood pressure: 170 x 100. Neurological examination -Normal gait; muscular strength preserved; Romberg's sign absent; normal coorHead of the Division of Neurology of the Hospital do Servidor Público do Estado de São Paulo, Brazil.