The isolated occlusion of the angular gyri artery. A correlative neurological and anatomical study--case report.

Abstract

We examined a patient who had signs of a cerebral hemisphere lesion: right hemiparesis, facial weakness, right hemianopsy, acustico-mnestic dysphasia, "empty speech," acalculia, visuo-spatial agnosia and constructional apraxia, but without changes in consciousness. Taking into account clinical signs, computed tomography and carotid angiography findings, we concluded that our patient had an infarction zone in the left temporo-parieto-occipital region, as a consequence of the isolated angular gyri artery (ANG) occlusion. Some clinical signs were a direct effect of the ANG's occlusion. Namely, this artery supplies the cortical regions of great functional significance: the planum polare and temporale, the transverse temporal gyri, the superior and middle temporal gyri, the angular and supramarginal gyri, as well as the superior, middle and inferior occipital gyri. But the other symptoms and signs could be explained by the pathophysiological effect of the cerebral edema on regions supplied by the non-occluded branches of the middle cerebral artery.