Pearls & Oy-sters: Frontal Lobe Syndrome Secondary to Cocaine-Induced Midline Destructive Lesions

Cocaine-induced midline destructive lesions (CIMDL) are a rare complication of chronic intranasal cocaine use involving the centrofacial mucosal structures, often with nasal septum perforation and, in severe cases, involvement of neurocranial structures. Patients present with nasal obstruction, epistaxis, facial pain, nasal ulcerative lesions with crusting, and septal and palate perforation causing dysphagia and nasal reflux. CNS involvement is uncommon.We report a 47-year-old man with a history of nasal cocaine use who developed a subacute frontal syndrome secondary to cribriform plate destruction complicated by bilateral frontal lobe empyema and abscesses and extensive white matter involvement. The frequent presence of serum antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) in CIMDL makes this uncommon presentation challenging to differentiate from localized granulomatosis with polyangiitis. While ANCA antibodies may play a role in CIMDL, immunosuppression is not indicated and may lead to iatrogenesis.CIMDL should be considered in patients with isolated frontal lobe syndrome. Eliciting a history of cocaine use and obtaining toxicologic studies are essential in the diagnosis of CIMDL.