What is AICA stroke?

AICA (anterior inferior cerebellar artery) strokes. The AICA syndrome usually presents with vertigo and unilateral ipsilateral deafness from labyrinthine artery ischemia. Large strokes are accompanied by ipsilateral facial weakness and ataxia. It is the second most common brainstem stroke, about 10% of PICA frequency.

How common are cerebellar strokes?

A cerebellar stroke is a rare condition. According to a 2015 review, they account for less than 10 percent of all strokes. Left untreated, a cerebellar stroke can be life-threatening.

What is AICA aneurysm?

AICA aneurysms have a predilection for meatal segment. Patients with meatal aneurysms are more likely to present with subarachnoid hemorrhage and hearing loss and facial palsy. Patient outcomes of meatal aneurysms presented with more neuropathies and cerebellar symptoms.

What is a PICA infarct?

The Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery (PICA) carries blood to this part of the brain. This stroke (Wallenberg’s Syndrome) causes the person to have balance problems and lean to one side. They may also have numbness on one side of the face and body and an eye droop. They may have hoarseness and trouble swallowing.

What does the AICA supply?

Introduction. The anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) is one of the lateral branches of the basilar artery which supplies various structures of the posterior cranial fossa, most importantly the cerebellum and pons.

How long does it take to recover from a stroke in the cerebellum?

During the first 3 months after a stroke, the brain is in a heightened state of plasticity. It recovers faster during this time, which explains why many patients experience a plateau after the 3 month mark. Stroke patients also benefit from inpatient therapy during the first few months of recovery.

Where is the anterior inferior cerebellar artery?

The anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) is one of three pairs of arteries that supplies blood to the cerebellum. It arises from the basilar artery on each side at the level of the junction between the medulla oblongata and the pons in the brainstem.

Is PICA a neurological?

Pica etiology is related to gastrointestinal distress, micronutrient deficiency, neurological conditions, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Currently there are no clinical guidelines for situations regarding pica and cases in clinical institutions often go unreported.

What does PICA stand for?

Pica (/ˈpaɪkə/ PIE-kuh) is a psychological disorder characterized by an appetite for substances that are largely non-nutritive. The substance may be biological such as hair (trichophagia) or feces (coprophagia), natural such as ice (pagophagia) or dirt (geophagia), and otherwise chemical or manmade (as listed below).

What does AICA mean?

The anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) is one of the lateral branches of the basilar artery which supplies various structures of the posterior cranial fossa, most importantly the cerebellum and pons.

What are the symptoms of an AICA infarct?

AICA territory infarcts are rare, comprising ~1% of ischemic cerebellar strokes2. Clinical presentation. Vertigo (can be central or peripheral due to the arterial supply) is the most common symptom associated with an AICA infarct, however, it is normally associated with neurological signs and symptoms such as facial weakness, hypoacusis, facial

What is the average age of a cerebellar infarction?

The mean age in our series was 65.2 years, with most being male (68.5%). The posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) was the most commonly affected territory at 49.2%, followed by superior cerebellar artery (SCA) at 17.7%, and anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) at 10.5%.

What causes a stroke in the AICA territory?

Pathology. The main cause of AICA territory stroke is atherosclerosis, but can also be a lacunar infarct due to hypertension or thromboembolism, although sometimes the cause is not known.

Which is a rare stepwise presentation of AICA syndrome?

Over the next several days the patient developed left facial weakness, numbness, hypoacusis, and limb and gait ataxia, and was found to have acute infarcts of the left pons and cerebellar peduncle consistent with an AICA syndrome. We discuss this rare stepwise presentation in AICA syndrome and possible underlying pathophysiology.