Mineralising Angiopathy of Lenticulostriate Vessels in Childhood: Series of Four Cases

Abstract

Mineralising lenticulostriate vessels’ angiopathy is becoming an important recognisable cause of ischaemic stroke in healthy children post trauma or fall. The usual presentation is a focal neuro-deficit of acute onset following trivial trauma in infancy with or without seizures/dystonia. The authors conducted a retrospective chart review of children diagnosed with stroke in a tertiary care paediatric hospital. Based on clinical and radiological features, children diagnosed with mineralising angiopathy with basal ganglia stroke in the last two years were identified, data was retrieved from the hospital’s electronic database and included in the study. Also, the patients were contacted telephonically in case of missing data. Out of the four cases, three were less than 18-month-old, and one was 52- month-old. All were normal before illness and had a history of trivial trauma {except one who had Road Traffic Accident (RTA)} followed by hemiparesis. Investigations for other aetiologies of stroke were non contributory. With antiplatelet therapy and iron supplements, most did well with an excellent functional outcome at follow-up. None of the children had recurrence during follow-up. In a typical case, an extensive work-up is not required.

Keywords

• basal ganglia infarct
• stroke
• trivial trauma