Podcast 572:  Locked In Syndrome

<p><strong>Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD</strong></p> <p><strong>Educational Pearls:</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Locked in syndrome results typically from an infarct of the basilar artery leading to infarction of the brainstem but typically preservation of the higher structures</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The result is complete paralysis with preserved cognitive function, hence the name</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Because of their location within the brainstem, ocular movements are sometimes preserved, allowing a patient who recovers from the initial injury to communicate</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Patients typically do not regain any motor function and have a poor prognosis of recovery</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Thrombectomy of the basilar artery is sometimes considered even late after the initial presentation given the devastating prognosis</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>References</strong></p> <p><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Smith E, Delargy M. Locked-in syndrome.</span> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">BMJ</span></em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">. 2005;330(7488):406‐409. doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7488.406</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Buchman SL, Merkler AE. Basilar Artery Occlusion: Diagnosis and Acute Treatment.</span> <em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Curr Treat Options Neurol</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">. 2019;21(10):45. Published 2019 Sep 26. doi:10.1007/s11940-019-0591-0</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Meinel TR, Kaesmacher J, Chaloulos-Iakovidis P</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, et al</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mechanical thrombectomy for basilar artery occlusion: efficacy, outcom