Citation

Feenstra FA, Aggenbach L, Rijtema G, Buunk AM, Stirler VMA. Ned. Tijdschr. Geneeskd. 2020; 164(ePub): ePub.

Vernacular Title

‘Ziende blind’ na een suïcidepoging met kruisboog.

Affiliation

UMCG, Afd. Chirurgie, Groningen.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Erven Bohn)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

32073797

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Bálint's syndrome is characterized by the triad of ocular apraxia, dorsal simultanagnosia and optic ataxia. It most commonly occurs following bilateral parieto-occipital brain injury, for which several aetiologies have been described. CASE DESCRIPTION: We present a case of a 39-year-old male with penetrating brain injury following a suicide attempt with a crossbow. A CT scan of the head revealed the intracranial position of the arrow, piercing the parietal and occipital cortex from the left-parietal direction with the tip on the right parietal bone. After surgical removal of the arrow, visuospatial symptoms persisted that were consistent with Bálint's syndrome. The characteristic symptoms, patho-anatomy and treatment of this syndrome are discussed in this article.

CONCLUSION: The patient in this case had visual impairment following a suicide attempt with a crossbow. On the basis of neurological and neuropsychological assessments, the triad of ocular apraxia, dorsal simultanagnosia and optic ataxia was observed, characteristic of Bálint's syndrome.

Language: nl