A 16-year-old male with dizziness, parasthesias, and ataxia

• Published in: Pediatric annals Vol. 43; no. 5; pp. e116 - e119
• Main Authors: Tsien, Margaret Z, Brorson, James R, Lukas, Rimas V, Dawson, Emily C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States SLACK INCORPORATED 01.05.2014
• Subjects: Adolescent; Ataxia - etiology; Basilar Artery - diagnostic imaging; Cerebellum - diagnostic imaging; Diagnosis, Differential; Dizziness - etiology; Embolization, Therapeutic - methods; Etiology; Eye Movements; Humans; Hypertension; Intracranial Thrombosis - complications; Intracranial Thrombosis - diagnostic imaging; Intracranial Thrombosis - therapy; Laboratory Procedures; Male; Neurology; Paresthesia - etiology; Pathology; Patients; Pediatrics; Stroke; Stroke - diagnostic imaging; Stroke - etiology; Teenagers; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods; Vertebral Artery - diagnostic imaging
• ISSN: 0090-4481; 1938-2359
• DOI: 10.3928/00904481-20140417-10

A 16-year-old African-American male with no past medical history presented with gait instability and somnolence. He had intermittent neurological complaints during the prior 4 months, including dizziness, left arm paresthesias, decreased hearing, and inability to control his hands. After an initial diagnosis of vertigo, his symptoms progressed, leading to reevaluation and a second emergency department head computed tomography (CT) scan, which revealed a large area of hypodensity in the cerebellum. Repeat head CT on arrival to the intensive care unit showed a large, left cerebellar hemispheric stroke. This case study discusses the findings of the patient's cerebral angiogram, the diagnosis of fibromuscular dysplasia, and the aggressive treatment that likely prevented further devastating strokes in the brainstem, thalamus, and occipital lobe. This case serves as a reminder that strokes are not just an adult disease and that classic presentations can occur even in unconventional patients.