Management of Severe Bilateral Ptosis in a Patient With Midbrain Infarction: A Case Report

Ptosis could be caused by oculomotor nerve palsy in the midbrain infarction. Bilateral ptosis has been reported in several reports, which focused on clinical characteristics of midbrain infarction. Little research attention has been paid to the treatment of patients with bilateral ptosis in midbrain infarction. We experienced a case of severe bilateral ptosis occurring after midbrain infarction. The patient could not open her eyes, perform basic activities or achieve effective rehabilitation. Neurogenic ptosis can improved after the underlying cause is treated. However, in this case, bilateral ptosis was not improved after conservative care for 6 months and the patient remained limited in activities of daily living and mobility. Surgical correction of bilateral ptosis was done by the resection of both Muller's muscles. After surgical correction, the bilateral ptosis was much improved and the effect persisted for at least 6 months.

Holmes Tremor After Brainstem Hemorrhage, Treated With Levodopa

Holmes tremor is a rare movement phenomenon, with atypical low-frequency tremor at rest and when changing postures, often related to brainstem pathology. We report a 70-year-old female patient who was presented with dystonic head and upper limb tremor after brainstem hemorrhage. The patient had experienced a sudden onset of left hemiparesis and right facial paralysis. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed an acute hemorrhage from the brachium pontis through the dorsal midbrain on the right side. Several months later, the patient developed resting tremor of the head and left arm, which was exacerbated by a sitting posture and intentional movement. The tremor showed a regular low-frequency (1-2 Hz) for the bilateral sternocleidomastoid and cervical paraspinal muscles at rest. The patient's symptoms did not respond to propranolol or clonazepam, but gradually improved with levodopa administration. Although various remedies were attempted, overall, the results were poor. We suggest that levodopa might be a useful remedy for Holmes tremor. The curative or relieving effect of the dopaminergic agent in Holmes tremor needs more research.