lschemic Bilateral Opercular Syndrome

Abstract

Bilateral opercular syndrome is characterized with facio-linguo-velo-pharyngeomasticatorydiplegia and automatic-voluntary dissociation. The most common etiologic factor isischemic infarctions localized in opercular cortex bilaterally. We report a forty-one-year-old man with severe dysarthria and masticator, facial, velo-pharyngeal and lingual paralysis, left hemiparesis and left hemihypoesthesia. The reflex and automatic functions of the cranio-pharyngeal muscles were typically preserved. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging showed chronic ischemic lesions localized in bilateral opercular region. Risk factors for ischemic stroke were history of smoking and aneurysm in interatrial septum detected by a transoesophageal echocardiography.