Basilar artery occlusion due to mucormycotic emboli, preceded by acute hydrocephalus

Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2000 Mar;102(1):18-22. doi: 10.1016/s0303-8467(99)00065-7.

Abstract

A rare case of brain stem infarction caused by mucormycotic emboli, preceded by acute hydrocephalus, is reported. The patient, who had suffered from leukemia and had undergone bone marrow transplantation several months before, presented initially with seizure and persistent disturbance of consciousness. A head CT scan revealed marked ventricular dilation and diagnosed as acute hydrocephalus. The patient received emergent ventricular drainage. Despite the aggressive treatment, the patient did not survive. Autopsy revealed systemic mucormycosis occluding and invading various arteries including basilar artery and its branches, causing fatal brainstem infarction. Although early diagnosis remains difficult in the cases of systemic mucormycosis, prompt initiation of treatment is mandatory; one must have in mind the possibility of presence of fungal infection when treating patients with acute neurological deterioration who have underlying debilitating diseases, even though fungi themselves are hard to detect in most cases.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adult
  • Arterial Occlusive Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Arterial Occlusive Diseases / etiology*
  • Arterial Occlusive Diseases / surgery
  • Basilar Artery / diagnostic imaging*
  • Basilar Artery / pathology
  • Basilar Artery / surgery
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydrocephalus / complications*
  • Hydrocephalus / surgery
  • Intracranial Embolism / complications*
  • Intracranial Embolism / pathology
  • Intracranial Embolism / surgery
  • Mucormycosis / complications*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed