title: Bilateral cerebellar infarction: a rare complication of scorpion sting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Complications following scorpion sting are common in India and can be fatal. Stroke following scorpion sting is a rare complication and can occur by various mechanisms such as hypertension, hypotension, DIC, myocarditis and venom-induced vasculitis. We present a rare case of extensive cerebellar infarction following scorpion sting, which has rarely been reported in medical literature.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the clinical profile of two patients presenting with an acute onset of cerebellar symptoms following a scorpion sting. To evaluate the possible causes of the stroke and to study the relation of their symptoms to the scorpion sting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two young women presented with a history of acute onset of dysarthria, ataxia and incoordination following scorpion sting. They did not have any known risk factors for stroke. They had cerebellar type of dysarthria and cerebellar signs on both sides along with incoordination. A CT-scan of the brain showed bilateral extensive cerebellar infarctions. They were investigated for other causes of stroke without any positive results. With treatment the patients made a gradual but complete recovery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since there was no evidence of hypertension, hypotension, myocarditis or disseminated intravascular coagulation, we can conclude that the patients had suffered a thrombotic stroke caused by the vasculotoxic action of the scorpion venom.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Vijayanagara Institute of Medical Sciences, Bellary.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Gadwalkar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bushan
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pramod
authors.forename: Chandra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gouda
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000209:etiology*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000098:blood supply*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D065008:Scorpion Stings; D012605:Scorpions; D001098:Spider Bites / Q000150:complications*; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000506:poisoning*
chemical_list: D013111:Spider Venoms