title: [Dysphagia in Avellis' syndrome].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Avellis' syndrome (lateral medulla oblongata ischaemia) is a rare neurological disorder. Early recognition of brain stem infarction may prevent referral to specialists other than a neurologist.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 53-year-old woman was initially presented to an internist with acute onset of headache, dysphagia, nausea and vomiting. She was also hoarse and had a tingling feeling on the left side of her face, and in her left arm and leg. A neurologist was consulted and diagnosed Avellis' syndrome. MRI of the brain revealed ischaemia in the lateral medulla oblongata on the right side.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Brain stem infarction may be hard to recognize as lateralization is often less predominant than in hemispheric syndromes. In acute onset of dysphagia, the differential diagnosis should always include brain stem infarction.
authors.affiliation: Atrium Medisch Centrum, afd. Neurologie, Heerlen, the Netherlands. rpjgeerlings@gmail.com
authors.forename: Rianne P J
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Geerlings
authors.forename: Sander M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Pompe
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Koehler
mesh_terms: D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D020526:Brain Stem Infarctions / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013577:Syndrome