Multiple Facial Ulcers Following a Stroke

Abstract

A 66-year-old man presented with multiple progressive ulcers on the right side of his face that had developed over the past 3 months (Figure, A). He had also experienced a burning sensation on the right side of his face, but denied headache, shoulder, or jaw pain and visual disturbance. Neurological examination revealed hypoesthesia of the right side of the face, while cold-warm sensation and motor function were intact. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 82 mm per hour (normal value, less than 15 mm per hour) and the serum C–reactive protein concentration was 107 mg/L (normal value, less than 5 mg/L). Chest radiography showed bilateral perihilar infiltrates consistent with pneumonia. About 2 weeks before the ulcerations developed, the patient had been admitted to the hospital for unstable angina, and coronary angiography was performed. Immediately after the angiography, the patient developed left-sided hemiplegia and hemianopsia. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed an extensive ischemic posterior circulation stroke involving the right occipital lobe, lower cerebellar peduncle, and pontomedullary boundary (Figure, B). Identify all potential conflicts of interest that might be relevant to your comment. Conflicts of interest comprise financial interests, activities, and relationships within the past 3 years including but not limited to employment, affiliation, grants or funding, consultancies, honoraria or payment, speaker's bureaus, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, royalties, donation of medical equipment, or patents planned, pending, or issued. Err on the side of full disclosure. If you have no conflicts of interest, check "No potential conflicts of interest" in the box below. The information will be posted with your response. Not all submitted comments are published. Please see our commenting policy for details.