HEMIPLEGIA DUE TO POSTERIOR CEREBRAL-ARTERY OCCLUSION

Background. Hemiplegia is a rare manifestation of posterior cerebral a rtery occlusion. The acute clinical picture may be difficult to differ entiate from occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. A mechanism for the hemiplegia has not been conclusively determined. Case Description: We describe a patient with hemiplegia secondary to posterior cerebral artery occlusion by an embolized fragment of a prosthetic valve. Comp uted tomographic scan showed the foreign body just distal to the origi n of the posterior cerebral artery with infarction of its vascular ter ritory. These findings were later confirmed at autopsy. There was no r adiological or autopsy evidence of involvement of the other cerebral a rteries or their territories. Conclusions: The patient provides furthe r evidence that occlusion of the posterior cerebral artery just distal to its junction with the posterior communicating artery may produce c ontralateral hemiplegia without oculomotor nerve nucleus involvement.