Tectal Hemorrhage in the Setting of COVID-19 Infection.

INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerging evidence of a relationship to intracranial hemorrhage. The hemorrhages described to date often affect patients on anticoagulation, of advanced age, of nonwhite race, and requiring mechanical ventilation. Unusual or rare hemorrhage patterns have not as yet been described in the literature as being associated with COVID-19. CASE REPORT: A 36-year-old Hispanic male with no significant past medical history presented with isolated tectal intraparenchymal hemorrhage with intraventricular hemorrhage in the setting of no identifiable risk factors other than COVID-19. His management required temporizing with external ventricular drainage and subsequent endoscopic third ventriculostomy for ongoing obstruction of the cerebral aqueduct following the hemorrhage. He was discharged and did clinically well. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an intraparenchymal hematoma of the brain isolated to the midbrain tectum with only COVID-19 as a risk factor. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 may predispose patients to rare types of intraparenchymal hematomas which remain amenable to standard management algorithms.

Alternating hemiparesis in the context of hemolytic uremic syndrome and COVID-19 positivity.

Hemiparesis has been reported in hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), however electrophysiological findings associated with this syndrome have not been well-characterized, and alternating hemiparesis presentations have not been reported. We present detailed electrophysiological and clinical findings in a case of alternating hemiparesis corresponding to alternating focal contralateral delta slowing on prolonged EEG monitoring in a case of HUS with COVID-19 positivity. A 24-year-old woman was admitted with bloody diarrhea, acute kidney injury, and focal seizures initially presumed due to Escherichia coli 0157:H7 Shiga-like toxin-related hemolytic uremic syndrome (ST-HUS). After admission, the patient tested positive for COVID-19. Continuous EEG monitoring revealed diffuse polymorphic delta slowing. Around 24 hours into the admission, the delta slowing became focal in the right hemisphere and was associated with a left hemiparesis. Around three days later, the clinical and EEG pattern reversed, showing left hemisphere slowing and an associated right hemiparesis. Additionally, 14 Hz positive spikes were observed throughout the recording period. Neuroimaging, including CT and MRI, was negative for acute ischemia throughout. The patient subsequently recovered over several days with no residual neurologic abnormalities.