A Case of Complete Resolution of Hemiballismus After Carotid Endarterectomy

Limb-Shaking And Transient Ischemic Attack: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Limb-shaking is one of the transient ischemic attacks (TIA) 'chameleons.' This literature review aims to evaluate the clinical, epidemiological profile, pathologic mechanisms, and management of limb-shaking TIA.

REVIEW SUMMARY

Relevant reports in Medline's (PubMed) database were identified and assessed by 2 reviewers without language restriction from 1985 to 2022. A total of 82 reports containing 161 cases that developed limb-shaking TIA were reported. The mean and median age were 61.36 (SD: 15.29) and 62 years (range: 4-93 y). Most of the individuals affected were males (64.34%). Limb-shaking was reported as unilateral in 83.33% of the patients. Limb-shaking presented with other neurological deficits in 44.33% of the individuals, in which the most common concurrent neurological deficit was the weakness of at least 1 limb. A recurrence of the "shaking" phenomenon was observed in 83 individuals. A trigger of limb-shaking was reported in 69 cases, and the most common was changing body position. The internal carotid artery was the most frequent vessel involved in limb-shaking. A chronically occluded internal carotid artery was observed in 42 individuals. Hypertension was the most common comorbidity. The management was conservative in 42.30% of the cases. The most frequent misdiagnoses were seizures. A full recovery was achieved in 56.60% of the individuals.

CONCLUSIONS

Limb-shaking TIA could be defined as involuntary, rhythmic, brief (<5 min), recurrent, jerky movement usually precipitated by activities that may reduce cerebral blood flow. The "shaking" phenomenon was primarily described as a manifestation of symptomatic complete internal carotid artery obstruction.

Successful multiple burr hole openings for limb-shaking transient ischemic attack due to moyamoya disease: illustrative case

BACKGROUND

Limb-shaking transient ischemic attacks (LS-TIAs) are a rare form of TIAs that present as involuntary movements of the limbs and indicate severe cerebral hypoperfusion. LS-TIAs are often reported in patients with carotid artery stenosis but can also affect patients with intracranial artery stenosis and moyamoya disease (MMD).

OBSERVATIONS

A 72-year-old woman presented with repeated episodes of involuntary shaking movements of the right upper limb. Cerebral angiography revealed complete occlusion of the M1 segment of the left middle cerebral artery (MCA), and the left hemisphere was supplied by moyamoya vessels. She was treated with left direct revascularization without complications, and her involuntary movements subsided. However, she demonstrated involuntary shaking movements of the right lower limb 2 months postoperatively. Cerebral angiography revealed complete occlusion of the A1 segment of the left anterior cerebral artery (ACA). The multiple burr hole opening (MBHO) procedure was performed to improve perfusion in the left ACA territory and after 3 months, the patient’s symptoms resolved.

LESSONS

This case demonstrated that LS-TIAs can also develop as ischemic symptoms due to MMD. Moreover, instances of LS-TIA of the upper and lower limbs developed separately in the same patient. The patient’s symptoms improved with direct revascularization and MBHO.

Acute Hemiballismus as the Presenting Feature of Parietal Lobe Infarction

It is widely believed that hemiballismus and chorea are suggestive of a basal ganglia subthalamic nucleus lesion; however, this not a rule. We report the case of a 63-year-old male with complaints of slurred speech, increased movement of the left half of his body, and headache. He had diabetes, hypertension, and a past medical history of stroke with residual weakness over the right side of his body. The patient developed the sudden onset of irregular, large amplitude, increased involuntary movements of his left upper and lower limbs with a flinging pattern. His blood sugar and serum osmolality were normal. His magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed an acute right parietal lobe infarction. Patients can experience hemiballismus with lesions other than the subthalamic nucleus in the basal ganglia. This is contrary to the classic belief that hemiballismus is associated with, and only with, lesions in the subthalamic nucleus. This manuscript describes a case of hemiballismus occurring in a patient secondary to a parietal lobe infarction.

Positional Brain Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography Findings in a Case of Limb-Shaking Syndrome

An 84-year-old man, who presented lower limbs limb-shaking syndrome at orthostatism lasting a few seconds, was referred in our stroke unit. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an acute infarction in the right thalamus and the insular cortex, left extracranial carotid stenosis at 80%, and low flow in the right middle cerebral artery but did not explain limb-shaking syndrome symptomatology. We performed comparative positional brain perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), in the upright and in the supine position, to explore and localize hypoperfusion-endangered brain structures that may be involved in the presenting symptoms. Brain perfusion SPECT showed deep hypoperfusion in bilateral carotid territories in the upright position in favor of a hemodynamic mechanism, on which blood pressure was maintained higher to avoid hypoperfusion and the patient remained supine for a longer period of time than in the usual support. Late postoperative brain perfusion SPECT after left endarterectomy did not show significant abnormalities. Limb-shaking syndrome may be related to a transient decrease in blood pressure and cerebral blood flow caused by postural changes. Positional brain perfusion SPECT seems to be helpful to improve clinical care. Positional brain perfusion SPECT should be discussed in the acute phase of stroke and if there are involuntary movements.