Hemichorea after successful treatment with mechanical thrombectomy in a patient with acute ischemic stroke

• Published in: Interdisciplinary neurosurgery : Advanced techniques and case management 2021-09, Vol.25, p.101156, Article 101156
• Main Authors: Kimura, Satoshi, Tsugawa, Jun, Mitsutake, Takafumi, Tateishi, Yuji, Hanada, Hayatsura, Morinaga, Yusuke, Inoue, Ritsuro, Hirata, Yoko, Takemura, Yusuke, Nii, Kouhei, Tsuboi, Yoshio, Higashi, Toshio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Brain imaging; Cortico-striato-pallido-thalamo-cortical loop; Hemichorea; Ischemic stroke; Mechanical thrombectomy
• ISSN: 2214-7519; 2214-7519
• DOI: 10.1016/j.inat.2021.101156

•Mechanical thrombectomy improves revascularization in acute ischemic stroke.•We report a case of delayed-onset hemichorea after mechanical thrombectomy.•Transient basal ganglia and cortical ischemia can cause delayed-onset hemichorea. We describe an 83-year-old man who presented with acute ischemic stroke after an inguinal hernia operation. After mechanical thrombectomy, the patient regained full neurological function; however, 5 days later, he developed left hemichorea without radiological abnormalities at that time. His hemichorea was successfully treated with a small dose of haloperidol. A slight hyperintense signal was noted at the right putamen on T1-weighted imaging performed 43 days after the onset. This is the first report to highlight the development of delayed-onset hemichorea, despite the initial resolution of the neurological symptoms in a patient with acute ischemic stroke successfully treated with mechanical thrombectomy.