Opalski syndrome, variant of Wallenberg syndrome. Case report and literature review

Abstract

Wallenberg syndrome was first described in 1895 as a clinical entity where its main characteristics are the presence of cross hemianesthesia, cerebellar ataxia and bulbar paralysis. It was up to eighty-nine years later when its variant, Opalski syndrome, was first described, where hemiplegia or hemiparesis, which plays a central role in making the distinction between it and Wallemberg syndrome, presented on the same side as bulbar stroke occurs. Most cases are caused by occlusion of the posteroinferior cerebellar artery and semiology is a fundamental part of the diagnosis.
The following work presents the clinical case of a lateral bulbar infarction in its Opalski variant. A review of the current literature is made, describing the clinical presentation of this pathology and the probable pathophysiological explanation of this variant. There are no studies reporting the incidence of this syndrome in Mexico, which is probably the result of underdiagnosis in our country.