Effects of Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation in a Patient With Lateral Medullary Infarction - A Case Report

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Mary Man

Lateral medullary syndrome (LMS) is commonly linked to vertebral artery strokes and produces diverse neurological deficits depending on lesion location. This case report describes interdisciplinary rehabilitation interventions for a patient with LMS and complex neurological disabilities, emphasizing benefits beyond motor recovery. Reported outcomes include improved functional ability, stronger psychosocial adjustment, and enhanced quality of life, demonstrating how coordinated rehabilitation can address multifaceted needs arising from lateral medullary infarction.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Case History/Examination

Differential Diagnosis, Investigations and Treatment

Clinical Case Reports CASE REPORT OPEN ACCESS Effects of Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation in a Patient With Lateral Medullary Infarction: A Case Report Krystal Song1,2,3 | Mitchell D. Evans1 | Sinead Mccaffrey1 | Madeleine Johns1 1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH), Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | 2Department of Medicine (RMH), University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | 3Australian Rehabilitation Research Centre, RMH, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Correspondence: Krystal Song ([krystal.song@mh.org.au](krystal.song@mh.org.au)) Received: 18 May 2025 | Revised: 9 December 2025 | Accepted: 24 December 2025 Keywords: dysphagia | interdisciplinary | lateral medullary stroke | rehabilitation | ABSTRACT
Lateral medullary syndrome (LMS) is commonly associated with vertebral artery strokes, characterized by varied neurological manifestations depending on the site of the lesion. We report the positive effects of interdisciplinary rehabilitation interventionsin helping achieve improved functional, psychosocial, and quality of life outcomes in a patient with LMS and complex neurological disabilities. | | | --- | --- | | 1 | Introduction | four hospital presentations within the 2 weeks prior, with a crescendo of worsening neurological symptoms including ver- | | Lateral medullary syndrome (LMS) results from a vascular | tigo, dysarthria and mild gait ataxia. The patient was initially | | event in the posterolateral part of the medulla oblongata, com- | diagnosed with transient ischaemic attack following his first | | monly involving the occlusion of the posterior inferior cerebellar | two admissions. CT angiography findings demonstrated left V4 | | artery (PICA) or vertebral artery [1] . LMS has varied neurolog- | segment vertebral artery occlusion, with left posterior cerebral | | ical manifestations including impaired pain and temperature | artery (PCA) and PICA remaining patent from collateral right | | sensation involving the ipsilateral face and contralateral body, | vertebral artery supply (Figure 1a) . There was no demonstrable | | ipsilateral Horner syndrome, dysphagia, dysarthria, dysphonia, | ischemia on MRI brain findings (Figure 2a) . He was discharged | | nystagmus, vertigo, nausea, vomiting and ipsilateral limb ataxia | home on high dose statin, perindopril and dual antiplatelet ther- | | [2]. We report a case of a 76-year-old male patient who presented | apy of aspirin and clopidogrel following complete resolution of | | with LMS and required inpatient rehabilitation. Further, this report aims to highlight the effects of interdisciplinary rehabil- | his symptoms and signs. | | itation in minimizing the impact of his disabilities and maxi- | Upon his third hospital admission, the patient experienced | | mizing functional independence and societal participation for | headache, dysarthria, dysphagia, gait ataxia and left Horner's | | this patient. | syndrome. A repeat CT angiography revealed new stenosis of his right vertebral artery (Figure 1b), with posterior circulation perfusion mismatch in the left cerebellum on CT perfusion scan | | 2 | Case History/Examination | (Figure 3) . The patient was commenced on 24-h heparin infusion. MRI brain findings confirmed a small acute left LMI on | | A 76-year-old male patient with a history of hypertension pre- | diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) (Figure 2b). The patient was | | sented to a tertiary stroke centre in February 2025 with an acute left lateral medullary infarction (LMI) . The patient had | discharged from hospital with conservative management (aspirin and ticagrelor) and deemed a clopidogrel non-responder. | | This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.
© 2026 The

FAQs

What condition is the case report focused on?

The report focuses on lateral medullary syndrome resulting from a lateral medullary infarction, associated with varied neurological manifestations.

What does the interdisciplinary rehabilitation aim to improve?

It aims to improve functional outcomes as well as psychosocial adjustment and overall quality of life for the patient with complex neurological disabilities.

Which swallowing-related problems are highlighted in the report?

The patient experiences severe dysphagia, failed swallow screening, and secretion management difficulties, with assessment including FEES demonstrating severe pharyngeal dysphagia.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Mary Man