Stroke and Palsy Flashcards
What is Bell’s palsy?
Isolated dysfunction and inflammation of the facial nerve (CN7)
What is a possible cause of Bell’s palsy?
HSV-1 re-activation
What are some symptoms of Bell’s palsy?
Unilateral facial weakness of lower motor neurons
Postauricular otalgia
Hyperacusis
Altered taste to front 2/3rds of the tongue
Dry mouth and eyes
What is the treatment for Bell’s palsy?
Prednisolone if within 72 hours of symptom onset
What is Ramsay Hunt syndrome?
Re-activation of VZV in the facial nerve
What is the presentation of Ramsay Hunt syndrome?
Severe ear pain
Tender and painful vesicular rash in and around ear, face, mouth
Vertigo
Deafness
What is the treatment for Ramsay Hunt syndrome?
Prednisolone and Acyclovir within 72 hours
What is bulbar palsy?
Lower motor neuron lesion affecting cranial nerves 9, 10 and 12
Which cranial nerves are affected in bulbar palsy?
Glossopharyngeal
Hypoglossal
Vagus
What are the main causes of bulbar palsy?
MND
MG
GBS
Brainstem stroke
What is the presentation of bulbar palsy?
Absent jaw jerk and gag reflex
Flaccid fasciculation of the tongue
Quiet nasal speech
What are some causes of cerebral palsy?
HIE
Infection
Meningitis
Trauma
Haemorrhage
What is spastic cerebral palsy?
The most common
Damage to pyramidal pathways and UMN
Hypertonia and hyperreflexia
Scissor gait
Clasp knife spasticity
What is dyskinetic cerebral palsy?
Damage to basal ganglia pathways presenting with choreiform movements
What is ataxic cerebral palsy?
Damage to cerebellar pathways and cerebellum
Presents with uncoordinated movements
What are some early signs and symptoms of cerebral palsy?
Hand preference before 18 months
Increased or decreased tone
Failure to meet milestones
What does broad based ataxic gait suggest?
Cerebellar lesions
What is normal pressure hydrocephalus?
Excess CSF accumulates in the ventricles, increasing the pressure and causing symptoms?
What is the triad of NPH?
Dementia
Magnetic gait
Incontinence
Wet, wacky and wobbly
Hakim-Adams triad
What does MRI show for NPH?
corpus callosum bowing
What can be used to manage NPH?
Therapeutic LP
Ventriculoperitoneal shunt - shunt CSF from brain to abdomen
What is GCA?
Inflammatory granulomatous arteritis of large cerebral arteries and other large vessels
What artery is affected in GCA?
Temporal artery - in segments
What is the presentation of GCA?
Severe headache
Scalp or temple tenderness
Jaw claudication
Amaurosis fugax