Alien limb syndrome secondary to multimodal treatment of recurrent oligodendroglioma.

We present a 41-year-old man who experienced alien limb syndrome as a complication of treatment for recurrent Grade III oligodendroglioma of the right parietal lobe. Alien limb syndrome is a rare phenomenon in which a limb performs involuntary actions and the affected individual feels a sense of estrangement towards the limb. It occurs most commonly as a result of corticobasal syndrome, though a variety of other etiologies have been reported. It is rarely associated with focal lesions, such as stroke or tumors.

Stroke syndromes and clinical management.

The knowledge of brain syndromes is essential for stroke physicians and neurologists, particularly those that can be extremely difficult and challenging to diagnose due to the great variability of symptom presentation and yet of clinical significance in terms of potential devastating effect with poor outcome. The diagnosis and understanding of stroke syndromes has improved dramatically over the years with the advent of modern imaging, while the management is similar to general care as recommended by various guidelines in addition to care of such patients on specialized units with facilities for continuous monitoring of vital signs and dedicated stroke therapy. Such critical care can be provided either in the acute stroke unit, the medical intensive care unit or the neurological intensive care unit. There may be no definitive treatment at reversing stroke syndromes, but it is important to identify the signs and symptoms for an early diagnosis to prompt quick treatment, which can prevent further devastating complications following stroke. The aim of this article is to discuss some of the important clinical stroke syndromes encountered in clinical practice and discuss their management.