Neurological Disorders & Stroke

Acute stroke is an emergency which requires prompt identification and management. Focal neurological deficits can be characterized into central vs peripheral nervous system disorders. It is not uncommon to have patients presenting with focal neurological symptoms mistaken for a stroke while the patient has a peripheral neuropathy. Such a case can occur with a variety of clinical settings such as a prolonged coma, prolonged sedation or post-operatively or even spontaneously due to underlying inflammation, infection, compression due to injury or trauma or nerve ischemia. In my presentation, I will focus on acute focal neuropathies which can mimic acute stroke such as radial neuropathy, peroneal neuropathy at the fibular head, other mononeuropathies, acute radiculoplexopathies and cranial neuropathies.