Electroencephalographic findings after convulsive seizures due to cerebral arterial air embolism secondary to lung cancer: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral arterial air embolism is often associated with an invasive iatrogenic etiology and a high rate of convulsive seizures. There are only a few descriptions of electroencephalogram findings in convulsive seizures due to cerebral arterial air embolism of noniatrogenic etiology. Herein, we describe the case of a patient with lung cancer and convulsive seizures with abnormalities detected on electroencephalogram caused by cerebral arterial air embolism of noniatrogenic etiology. CASE PRESENTATION: A 55-year-old Japanese man underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy for cancer in the hilum of the left lung that was diagnosed after hemoptysis. One year after the diagnosis, he developed fever and chest pain that required hospitalization. At admission, he was in shock, and chest computed tomography revealed invasion of the left atrium and left main bronchus by the hilar cancer. Chest and abdominal computed tomography revealed small low-density areas within the tumor and around the intestinal membrane, which were interpreted as the presence of air due to invasion of the lung cancer. He was diagnosed with septic shock due to necrotic infection secondary to cancer invasion into the left atrium. The following day, he complained of difficulty in speaking and weakness in the left side of his body. A head computed tomography scan revealed multiple small low-density areas in the right cortex and bilateral subcortex, which were interpreted as air emboli. On day 3, he experienced generalized tonic-clonic seizures for approximately 1 minute, followed by myoclonus-like convulsions in the left lower limb and a right-sided gaze. The electroencephalogram findings after the convulsive seizures revealed partial epilepsy-like waves with intermittent spikes in the bilateral cerebral hemispheres and a diffuse slow wave in the left frontal lobe. He recovered from sepsis without recurrence of convulsive seizures; however, he died of hemoptysis on day 50 after discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Electroencephalogram findings of focal spike activities and diffuse slow waves were detected in early seizures due to cerebral arterial air embolism of noniatrogenic etiology associated with lung cancer. Additional case descriptions are warranted to establish patterns in electroencephalogram findings specific to cerebral arterial air embolism.

Apraxia of eyelid opening might be critical for levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel treatment.

Apraxia of eyelid opening (AEO) has been associated with levodopa. It has also been linked to impaired function of the frontal lobe, with the dopaminergic neuron projected to the frontal lobe. However, dopaminergic treatment for AEO is still controversial. Here we describe two patients with both Parkinson's disease (PD) and AEO, who responded differently to a continuous intrajejunal levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) infusion. One of the patients manifested a deterioration of AEO after LCIG infusion, and off-periods were shortened by the decrease in the severity of dyskinesia. After discontinuing the use of LCIG, there was an improvement in the patient's ability to open her eyelids. The other patient had AEO prior to LCIG treatment, and this treatment spontaneously elevated her eyelids. These two PD patients raised the concern as to whether AEO may be a critical symptom for the indication of LCIG treatment. The different responses to LCIG might have been due to the fluctuation in brain dopamine levels during LCIG treatment.

Levodopa-responsive retrocollis on the background of choreic dyskinesia.

Purpose/aim: Retrocollis can substantially disturb the daily living of individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). Clinician often encounter the difficulty in managing the retrocollis. Materials and Methods: We describe a patient with PD who presented with choreic dyskinesia and levodopa-responsive retrocollis. Results: The patient had dyskinesia and the off periods, and received levodopa (700 mg, 14 times/day). The patient received levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) treatment. After several months, the patient complained of difficulty in swallowing and speech due to severe retrocollis. Thirty minutes following a fast levodopa infusion of LCIG, the retrocollis improved. As a result, a frontal view was obtained, and her talking abilities showed improvement. Conclusions: Severe retrocollis can be superimposed on choreic dyskinesia, and it was likely to increase during the off periods. Duodenal levodopa infusion may reduce the severity of retrocollis.