What is Wallenberg's Syndrome?

What is Wallenberg's Syndrome?

• Wallenberg's Syndrome: A rare neurological condition caused by a stroke (involving the cerebellar artery) and resulting in symptoms such as facial paralysis or weakness on one side of body.
• Wallenberg's Syndrome: Infarction of the dorsolateral aspect of the medulla due to occlusion of the vertebral artery and/or the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. Clinical manifestations vary with the size of infarction, but may include loss of pain and temperature sensation in the ipsilateral face and contralateral body below the chin; ipsilateral HORNER SYNDROME; ipsilateral ATAXIA; DYSARTHRIA; VERTIGO; nausea, hiccup; dysphagia; and VOCAL CORD PARALYSIS. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p801)
  Source - Diseases Database

Wallenberg's Syndrome is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Wallenberg's Syndrome, or a subtype of Wallenberg's Syndrome, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Name and Aliases of Wallenberg's Syndrome

Main name of condition: Wallenberg's Syndrome

Lateral Medullary Syndrome, Lateral medullary syndrome, Posterior inferior cerebellar artery syndrome, PICA syndrome, Vertebral artery syndrome, Vieseaux-Wallenberg syndrome, cerebellar artery syndrome, posterior inferior, cerebellar peduncle, dorsolateral medullary

Posterior inferior cerebellar artery syndrome, Lateral medullary syndrome Source - Diseases Database

Lateral Medullary syndrome, PICA syndrome, Posterior inferior cerebellar artery syndrome, Vertebral artery syndrome, PICA syndrome, Posterior inferior cerebellar artery syndrome, Vertebral artery syndrome
Source - Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Types of Wallenberg's Syndrome:

Parent types of Wallenberg's Syndrome: Artery conditions, Blood vessel conditions, Brain conditions

Organs Affected by Wallenberg's Syndrome:

brain, nerves, blood vessels, artery

How serious is Wallenberg's Syndrome?

Prognosis of Wallenberg's Syndrome: spontaneous recovery with complete recovery in months except for neuralgia which can persist longer
Prognosis of Wallenberg's Syndrome: Individuals with Wallenberg's syndrome may experience a lessening of their symptoms as a result of medical intervention. For some patients, symptoms dissipate after a few weeks of treatment. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Wallenberg's Syndrome Information Page: NINDS)
Complications of Wallenberg's Syndrome: see complications of Wallenberg's Syndrome

What causes Wallenberg's Syndrome?

Cause of Wallenberg's Syndrome: Artery blockage in a vertebra or in the brain.
Causes of Wallenberg's Syndrome: see causes of Wallenberg's Syndrome

How is it treated?

Treatments for Wallenberg's Syndrome: see treatments for Wallenberg's Syndrome