Spontaneous Simultaneous Bilateral Basal Ganglia, Thalamic, and Central Pontine Haemorrhage: A Case Report

TL;DR

This case report describes a rare instance of spontaneous bleeding in multiple brain regions in a 72-year-old woman.

Contribution

The report adds to the limited literature on spontaneous simultaneous bilateral basal ganglia haemorrhage.

Findings

A 72-year-old female presented with bilateral basal ganglia and central pontine haemorrhage.

Conservative management was used, and the patient was discharged after multidisciplinary team consultations.

Such cases are rare, with only about 60 documented in the literature.

Abstract

The basal ganglia, a complex of subcortical nuclei, form an important functional component of the brain. Spontaneous simultaneous bilateral basal ganglia haemorrhage (SSBBGH) is exceedingly uncommon and often associated with hypertension as a primary predisposing factor. We report a case of a 72-year-old female who presented to a local hospital following a dizzy spell and subsequent fall. Non-contrast CT brain revealed bilateral basal ganglia haemorrhage alongside central pontine haemorrhage. Subsequently, she was transferred to our tertiary-care specialist stroke unit where conservative management was pursued. She was discharged after brain imaging, multidisciplinary team (MDT) consultations, and follow-up plans. The MDT comprised stroke physicians, radiologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech and language therapists. Given the limited number of documented cases of this rare occurrence (approximately 60 in the literature), we believe this report will contribute to the existing body of knowledge.

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