Can Lesions in the Right Basal Ganglia Cause Aphasia? Crossed Aphasia in a Right-Handed Patient.

Background: Aphasia is a common neurocognitive disorder caused by impaired speech and language, with stroke being the most frequent cause. The neuroanatomical mechanism underlying this condition is not yet fully understood.

Case Description: This case describes a 74-year-old Caucasian woman admitted with a clinical picture of right total anterior circulation infarct (TACI) and aphasia, scoring 17 on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale.

Giant Cell Arteritis Presenting as Multiple Ischaemic Strokes: A Successful case of Endovascular Treatment.

Unlabelled: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) may manifest with aggressive intracranial stenosis resistant to medical therapy, and patients may develop refractory neurologic deficits and cerebral infarcts, making GCA a life-threatening condition. We report the case of a 68-year-old woman recently diagnosed with GCA, medicated with prednisolone 60 mg daily. Two weeks later, the patient was admitted to our Stroke Unit after a sudden episode of global aphasia.

Pain in an Internal Medicine Ward: An Undervalued Reality?

Introduction Pain is prevalent in most pathologic situations that require healthcare and is very common in hospitalised patients. However, there is limited evidence about the prevalence and the actual management of pain in medical wards. The aim of this work was to evaluate and characterise pain management in an internal medicine ward.

SARS-CoV-2 and Stroke Characteristics: A Report From the Multinational COVID-19 Stroke Study Group.

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Blind spot: blindness as initial presentation of subarachnoid haemorrhage.

A 47-year-old Caucasian man with arterial hypertension was admitted after a seizure. At the emergency department, he presented with high blood pressure, bilateral vision loss (evidenced by unresponsiveness to threatening stimuli), right hemiplegia and severe agitation. The brain CT angiography showed a diffuse basal cisterns subarachnoid haemorrhage with a ruptured basilar aneurysm.

Acute reversible toxic encephalopathy during capecitabine and oxaliplatin treatment.

Introduction: Capecitabine is a fluoropyrimidine commonly used in the treatment of colorectal cancer which may cause central nervous system toxicity, namely cerebellar dysfunction.

Case Report: We describe a 77-year-old man undergoing adjuvant treatment of colon cancer with capecitabine and oxaliplatin who presented with acute cerebellar ataxia and encephalopathy that progressed to coma. Diagnosis of toxic encephalopathy was made after the exclusion of alternative causes of neurological dysfunction and complete resolution of clinical findings with permanent discontinuation of chemotherapy.

Primary amyloidosis as a cause of microvascular angina and intermittent claudication.

Primary systemic amyloidosis or AL amyloidosis is a rare condition characterized by extracellular deposits of fibrils composed of fragments of immunoglobulin light chains. Widespread deposition of this amyloid in tissues interferes with their normal function and leads to multiple organ failure. Clinical manifestations are highly variable due to the wide range of organs involved.

Breaking bad news: experiences and preferences of advanced cancer patients at a Portuguese oncology centre.

The disclosure of information to patients about diagnosis and prognosis and other aspects of care is still a matter of debate. We have conducted a study in advanced cancer patients about their experiences and preferences concerning this issue. A questionnaire was developed and completed during the first appointment in the outpatient clinic of an oncology centre's palliative care unit, before the patient had any contact with the staff of the unit.

Lyme borreliosis in Portugal caused by Borrelia lusitaniae? Clinical report on the first patient with a positive skin isolate.

Background: Borrelia lusitaniae was isolated from an Ixodes ricinus tick in Portugal in 1993 for the first time. Further, this borrelia genospecies has been found in ixodid ticks collected around the coasts of southern Portugal and North Africa. Its reservoir has not been defined yet.