Intravenous thrombolysis in ischemic stroke patients with isolated homonymous hemianopia.
BACKGROUND
Patients with posterior ischemic stroke were usually excluded from thrombolytic treatment in clinical trials and clinical practice, and little is known about effectiveness of thrombolysis treatment in such patients who may end up with severe disability.


OBJECTIVE
We aimed to describe the outcome of acute ischemic stroke patients presenting with isolated homonymous hemianopia and treated with intravenous thrombolysis.


METHODS
A case report of three patients presenting with homonymous hemianopia owing to posterior circulation stroke treated with intravenous thrombolysis at the Helsinki University Central Hospital. Main outcome measures were modified Rankin Scale and neuropsychological examination at 3 months after thrombolysis. We further evaluated Goldmann visual field examination at 6 months.


RESULTS
No acute findings appeared on admission non-contrast head-computed tomography scan. All patients had a perfusion deficit on admission-computed tomography perfusion imaging. All patients scored 0 on 3-month modified Rankin Scale, and their neuropsychological evaluation was normal. Goldmann examination revealed no visual field deficit in both female patients, and a modest visual field defect was detected in the male patient.


CONCLUSIONS
Our experience encourages application of intravenous thrombolytic treatment (especially when supported with multimodality neuroimaging) in patients with homonymous hemianopia, for which rehabilitation options are limited.
Department of Neurology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. daniel.strbian@hus.fi
D
D
Strbian
L
L
Soinne
T
T
Sairanen
F
F
Scheperjans
O
O
Salonen
M
M
Palomäki
M
M
Kaste
T
T
Tatlisumak
D061605:Administration, Intravenous; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006423:Hemianopsia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000187:drug effects
D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents