Opalski syndrome: case report

Abstract

Opalski syndrome is considered a variant of Wallenberg syndrome. Ipsilateral hemiplegia is the factor that represents the difference. Wallenberg syndrome also called lateral medullary syndrome is caused by the occlusion of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery or the intracranial vertebral artery, compromising the upper zone of the spinal cord at posterolateral medulla, causing symptoms as ipsilateral hypoesthesia of the face, contralateral hypoesthesia, pain and sensation deficit in the contralateral limbs and body, absent gag reflex, dysphagia, hoarseness and dysarthria, ipsilateral ataxia, vertigo, nausea, vomiting, nystagmus, ipsilateral Horner syndrome. The motor component (ipsilateral hemiplegia) involved in Opalski syndrome is due to the lesion is located in a lower level of the spinal cord, at the level of the decussation of pyramids affecting the caudal corticospinal fibers. We discuss a patient who develop an Opalski syndrome caused by an arterial dissection after a car accident.