Split-brain syndrome after subarachnoid haemorrhage

BMJ Case Rep. 2024 Jan 25;17(1):e258538. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2023-258538.

Abstract

We present the case of a patient with extensive ischaemia of the corpus callosum (CC) including all its anatomical subdivisions, caused by a ruptured aneurysm of the anterior cerebral artery (ACA). This resulted in subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) and subsequently in cerebral vasospasm. The aneurysm was coiled, the vasospasm treated with repetitive intra-arterial spasmolysis and the patient then received intensive neurorehabilitative care. The case is an example of ischaemic infarction, which happens rarely in the CC after SAH, and even more rarely affects the CC along its entire length. The case is further remarkable for the resulting nearly complete and isolated split-brain syndrome: CC disconnection syndromes are only exceptionally seen after vascular callosal damage because they are most often overshadowed by symptoms resulting from coaffected adjacent brain areas.

Keywords: Neurology; Stroke.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aneurysm, Ruptured* / complications
  • Aneurysm, Ruptured* / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain
  • Corpus Callosum / diagnostic imaging
  • Humans
  • Intracranial Aneurysm* / complications
  • Intracranial Aneurysm* / diagnostic imaging
  • Split-Brain Procedure*
  • Subarachnoid Hemorrhage* / complications
  • Subarachnoid Hemorrhage* / diagnostic imaging
  • Subarachnoid Hemorrhage* / surgery
  • Vasospasm, Intracranial* / complications
  • Vasospasm, Intracranial* / diagnostic imaging