Tegmental pontine hemorrhages: clinical features and prognostic factors

We report six patients with partial, predominantly paramedian, tegmental pontine hemorrhages. Constant clinical manifestations consisted of: ipsilateral miosis, horizontal gaze paresis, lower motor neuron facial paresis, contralateral hemisensory loss and mild and transitory hemiparesis, dysarthria and mild or no compromise of consciousness. Five out of six were hypertensive. All patients survived with mild sequelae, oculomotor disturbances being the most persistent deficit. We found in our patients that a transverse diameter of less than 17 mm, unilaterality of the injury and absence of coma were the major indicators of a favorable outcome.