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Posttraumatic Benedikt's syndrome: a rare entity with unclear anatomopathological correlations
Nikolaos A Paidakakos1, Evangelos Rokas, Spyridon Theodoropoulos
1Department of Neurosurgery, Asclepeion General Hospital, Voula, Athens, Greece. n.paidakakos@gmail.com
World Neurosurgery
|April 10, 2012
Summary
This case report details a rare instance of Benedikt's syndrome caused by traumatic brain injury, presenting unique neurological symptoms. It highlights the rarity of post-traumatic Benedikt's syndrome, with only two cases documented.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroscience
- Traumatology
Background:
- Benedikt's syndrome is a rare neurological condition typically caused by midbrain vascular events.
- Post-traumatic cases are exceptionally uncommon, with limited documentation in medical literature.
Observation:
- A 20-year-old female presented with a complex set of symptoms following traumatic brain injury.
- Clinical manifestations included ipsilateral ophthalmoplegia and contralateral hemiataxia, hypertonicity, hemiparesis, and hyperreflexia.
Findings:
- Neuroimaging confirmed a left midbrain lesion at the superior colliculi level.
- This case represents the second reported instance of traumatic Benedikt's syndrome and the first in English literature.
Implications:
- This case expands the known etiologies of Benedikt's syndrome beyond vascular causes.
- It underscores the importance of considering traumatic injury in the differential diagnosis of midbrain lesions presenting with Benedikt's syndrome.
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