Pontine stroke

Disease that affects the blood vessels responsible for supplying blood to the brain. When there is an obstruction of a blood vessel it is known as ischaemic stroke, whereas when there is bleeding it is known as haemorrhagic stroke.

There are existing factors that favour its appearance, such as: an older age, a family history, ethnicity or gender, arterial hypertension, smoking, diabetes and cardiac diseases.

Typical symptoms of it include loss of strength on one side of the body, unstable gait, double vision and difficulty performing eye movements in the horizontal plane.

Diagnosis is clinical, through a questioning and a physical examination. The study needs to be completed with a CT-scan.

Treatment must be administered in less than three hours since its detection to avoid sequelae and so, it is considered a medical emergency. Medication will be administered to dislodge any artery blockage or blood clot obstructing blood vessels. In eligible cases, endovascular therapy can be applied in order to enable vascular permeability from the inside. Patients affected by haemorrhages have a worse prognosis and can require surgical intervention.