LATERAL PONTINE STROKE SYNDROME PRESENTING AS A REPEAT STROKE: A CASE REPORT

The pons is the largest and a vital part of the brainstem between the midbrain and medulla oblongata. Due to the versatility of its function, various stroke syndromes have been described as a result of pontine infarction. Notable among these is the lateral pontine syndrome, which was first described in 1922 as a stroke when the anterior inferior cerebellar artery becomes occluded, leading to an infarction in the lateral inferior part of the pons, middle cerebellar peduncle, and the floccular region, resulting in ipsilateral limb ataxia, facial weakness, hearing loss, facial anaesthesia, contralateral hemihypoaesthesia, vertigo, and nystagmus. This case report aims to contribute to the limited existing literature on a rare brainstem stroke syndrome, which to the best of our knowledge, has not been reported in Africa.

The patient was a 66-year-old stroke survivor who developed sudden onset vertigo, dysarthria, right limb ataxia, facial weakness, and hearing impairment. Brain MRI revealed an acute infarct in the right lateral part of the lower pons.

Secondary stroke prevention is vital for survivors. An MRI should be chosen if available when a brainstem stroke is suspected, especially in low-resource settings where patients can afford only one imaging session.