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Published in: BMC Neurology 1/2020

01-12-2020 | Ultrasound | Case report

Posterior cerebral artery stroke by reverse flow embolism in thoracic outlet syndrome - a case report

Authors: Adam Celier, Simon Chabay, Aurélien Maurizot, Frédéric Cochennec, Daniela Stanciu, Fernando Pico

Published in: BMC Neurology | Issue 1/2020

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Abstract

Background

Arterial thoracic outlet syndrome is a rare condition characterized by a subclavian artery pathology associated with a bone abnormality. It is rarely associated with thromboembolic stroke. The mechanism of cerebral embolism associated with thoracic outlet syndrome have rarely been demonstrated. We present here a fully studied case with a high probability of reverse flow embolism.

Case presentation

A 24-year-old man with a known arterial thoracic outlet syndrome presented with a right cerebral posterior artery brain infarction. An ultrasound examination depicted the compression of the right subclavian artery in the scalene defile with a post stenotic aneurysm and the presence of a floating thrombus in this aneurysm. There was a reverse flow during diastole in this aneurysm. Anticoagulation was carried out with the disappearance of the floating thrombus with no new clinical or brain MRI event. Corrective surgery of this thoracic outlet syndrome was performed one month after stroke.

Conclusion

Very few cases of stroke in arterial thoracic outlet syndrome have been described with thorough dynamic vascular imaging. To our knowledge, this is the fourth reported case that advocates for a reverse flow embolism mechanism in stroke associated with thoracic outlet syndrome, and the first to realize an extensive ultrasound and doppler workup.
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Metadata
Title
Posterior cerebral artery stroke by reverse flow embolism in thoracic outlet syndrome - a case report
Authors
Adam Celier
Simon Chabay
Aurélien Maurizot
Frédéric Cochennec
Daniela Stanciu
Fernando Pico
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Neurology / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2377
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12883-020-01797-y

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