Background: A 63-year-old woman with chronic atrial fibrillation treated with warfarin was admitted to emergency for coma and complete vertical gaze palsy. Investigations: Brain CT and MRI, echo-colour Doppler sonography of the supraaortic vessels, angio-CT of the intracranial vessels, EEG, transesophageal echocardiogram, biohumoral tests. Brain CT and MRI scans showed bilateral thalamic lesions with involvement of the right midbrain; EEG showed a diffuse alpha rhythm prevalent on the posterior regions; echo-colour Doppler sonography of the supraaortic vessels showed marked reduction of blood flow in the right vertebral artery; angio-CT scans showed occlusion of the right vertebral artery and a significant filling defect of the first part of the right posterior cerebral artery (P1) from which the artery of Percheron arises. A follow-up angio-CT showed a complete recanalization of P1. Diagnosis: Percheron artery syndrome. Treatment and Management: Aspirin, neurorehabilitation.

Keywords:
Percheron, Vertical gaze, Relevance, Coma, Angio-CT
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© 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel
2010
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