Brain perfusion single photon emission computed tomography abnormality in MRI-negative stroke-like patients post COVID-19 vaccination.

Stroke-like symptoms after COVID-19 vaccination was thought to be functional if there was no anatomical image abnormality. We aimed to analyze brain perfusion changes in these patients. A case-control study of brain perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) of 12 vaccinated patients with left-sided stroke-like symptoms were compared with 12 age- and gender-matched normal interictal brain SPECTs using voxel-based analysis. Significant hyperperfusion was seen on the right side in postcentral, inferior parietal, mid temporal, parahippocampal, and caudate regions, and on the left side in the thalamus, hippocampus, and mid temporal areas. In addition, there were hypoperfused bilateral superior frontal gyri and right mid/posterior cingulate cortex (Family-wise-error corrected p-values  < .05). Both hypoperfusion and hyperperfusion in the brain are demonstrated. We hypothesize that these findings might be the result of the functional neurological disorder. However, based on other previous studies, circulating spike protein in the patients' plasma early after vaccination might also be the cause.

Acute prolonged motor aura resembling ischemic stroke after COVID - 19 vaccination (CoronaVac): the first case report.

BACKGROUND: We report the first case of a patient who suffered transient focal neurological deficit mimicking stroke following CoronaVac vaccination. However, instead of an ischemic stroke, motor aura was suspected. CASE PRESENTATIONS: A 24 year-old Thai female presented with left hemiparesis fifteen minutes after receiving CoronaVac. She also had numbness of her left arm and legs, flashing lights, and headaches. On physical examination, her BMI was 32.8. Her vital signs were normal. She had moderate left hemiparesis (MRC grade III), numbness on her left face, arms, and legs. Her weakness continued for 5 days. A brain CT scan was done showing no evidence of acute infarction. Acute treatment with aspirin was given. MRI in conjunction with MRA was performed in which no restricted diffusion was seen. A SPECT was performed to evaluate the function of the brain showing significant hypoperfusion of the right hemisphere. The patient gradually improved and was discharged. DISCUSSIONS: In this study, we present the first case of stroke mimic after CoronaVac vaccination. After negative imaging studies had been performed repeatedly, we reach a conclusion that stroke is unlikely to be the cause. Presumably, this phenomenon could possibly have abnormal functional imaging study. Therefore, we believed that it might be due to cortical spreading depression, like migraine aura, which we had conducted a literature review.

Role of portal vein embolization in hepatobiliary malignancy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Inadequate remnant liver volume is the major cause of postoperative liver failure. Preoperative portal vein embolization (PVE) is the well accepted procedure to increase future liver remnant (FLR) volume and decrease the incidence of this complication. This study described the author's experience of preoperative PVE at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital since 2002. METHODOLOGY: The clinical data of 29 patients who underwent PVE were reviewed. The FLR volumes before and after the procedure were calculated by CT volumetry. PVE was performed when estimated FLR volume was < 25% in normal liver or < 40% in damaged liver and also when major liver resection combined with major intraabdominal surgery was planned. The complications after PVE and hepatectomy were recorded. RESULTS: There were no deaths or complications after PVE. The mean growth of FLR was 11%. Power of liver regeneration was suboptimal in old age patients. Sixteen patients underwent liver resection (resectability rate 55.17%). There were 2 cases of postoperative hyperbilirubinemia (12.5%). The hospital mortality rate was 1/16 (6.25%). CONCLUSIONS: PVE is a useful and safe optional procedure to increase FLR. It not only reduces the postoperative liver failure but also increases the chance of curative resection.

PTEN c.511C>T nonsense mutation in a BRRS family disrupts a potential exonic splicing enhancer and causes exon skipping.

Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome (BRRS) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by macrocephaly, intestinal hamartomatous polyps, lipomas and pigmented macules of the glans penis. We identified a Thai family affected with BRRS. In addition to typical manifestations of BRRS, the proband has a large hepatic AVM which is rarely found in BRRS. The molecular analysis revealed affected members were heterozygous for an exon skipping-associated nonsense mutation c.511C>T in the PTEN gene. The mutation was previously assumed to be deleterious by causing a change to a termination codon, Q171X. We, herein, found that another pathogenic effect was splicing related by disrupting a potential exonic splicing enhancer (ESE) and causing an entire exon 6 skipping. The results prompted us to investigate other reported missense/nonsense mutations in the PTEN gene. We found that they do not colocalize with ESE sites, suggesting that most of their pathogenic effects are not through ESE disruption.