Atypical Anterior Spinal Artery Infarction due to Left Vertebral Artery Occlusion Presenting with Bilateral Hand Weakness.
BACKGROUND
Infarct of the anterior spinal artery is the most common subtype of spinal cord infarct, and is characterized by bilateral motor deficits with spinothalamic sensory deficits. We experienced a case with atypical anterior-spinal-artery infarct that presented with bilateral hand weakness but without sensory deficits.


METHODS
A 29-year-old man presented with sudden neck pain and bilateral weakness of the hands. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain did not reveal any lesion. His motor symptoms improved rapidly except for mild weakness in his left wrist and fingers. Magnetic resonance angiography showed proximal occlusion of the left vertebral artery; a spine MRI revealed left cervical cord infarction.


CONCLUSIONS
Bilateral or unilateral hand weakness can be the sole symptom of a cervical cord infarct.
Department of Neurology, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Min-Ji
MJ
Kim
Department of Neurology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Anyang, Korea.
Mi-Hee
MH
Jang
Department of Neurology, Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hwaseong, Korea.
Mi-Song
MS
Choi
Department of Neurology, Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hwaseong, Korea.
Suk Yun
SY
Kang
Department of Neurology, Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hwaseong, Korea.
Joo Yong
JY
Kim
Department of Neurology, Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hwaseong, Korea.
Ki-Han
KH
Kwon
Department of Radiology, Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hwaseong, Korea.
Ik-Won
IW
Kang
Department of Neurology, Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hwaseong, Korea.
Soo-Jin
SJ
Cho
anterior spinal artery; hands; spinal cord infarction; vertebral artery occlusion