Bilateral Thalamic Infarct in Two Unresponsive Octogenarians

Abstract

Bilateral thalamic infarct (BTI) represents an uncommon stroke presentation. Pathophysiology recognizes the occlusion of an anatomic variant of the thalamic blood supply from perforating branches of posterior cerebral arteries. Presentation could be nonspecific and dramatic in the same time, being coma or stupor the possible clinical scenario encountered. Diagnosis is performed by neuroradiological imaging showing the typical bilateral paramedian thalamic infarcts. Literature lacks of evidence in very old patients, therefore we describe two cases of BTI occurred in octogenarians presenting unresponsive. BTI in very old patients presenting comatose should be taken in account as diagnostic possibility.