Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Perinatal/Neonatal Casebook
  • Published:

Perinatal/Neonatal Case Book

Bilateral Thalamic Lesions in a Newborn with Intrauterine Asphyxia After Maternal Cardiac Arrest — a Case Report with Literature Review

Abstract

Hypoxic–ischemic brain damage in preterm and term infants is one major cause of neonatal neurologic morbidity. Depending on the gestational age and the extent of hypoxia, different pathologic findings have been observed. Hypoxic–ischemic lesion of the thalamus is the least common form of cerebral injury. Although long-term outcome with spastic or extrapyramidal cerebral palsy is known, clinical features in the neonatal period are not well described.

We report an infant with bilateral hypoxic–ischemic thalamic lesions after maternal cardiac arrest at 28 weeks of gestation. Clinical features and diagnostic results of our patient are compared to information given in the literature to define the clinical entity of hypoxic–ischemic thalamic lesions in neonates better.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Volpe JJ Neurology of the newborn Third Edition Philadelphia: WB Saunders 1995 p. 211

    Google Scholar 

  2. Cohen M, Roessmann U In utero brain damage: Relationship of gestational age to pathological consequences Dev Med Child Neurol 1994 36 263–70

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. De Vries LS, Eken P, Groenendaal F, Rademaker KJ, Hoogervorst B, Bruinse HW Antenatal onset of hemorrhagic and/or ischaemic lesions in preterm infants: prevalence and associated obstetric variables Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonat Ed 1998 78 F51–6

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Roland EH, Hill A, Norman MG, Flodmark O, MacNab AJ Selective brainstem injury in an asphyxiated newborn Ann Neurol 1988 23 89–92

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Bordarier C, Moktari M, Rodriguez D, Adamsbaum C, Robain O Antenatal thalamic lesions in the newborn: two anatomoclinical cases Brain Dev 1997 19 495–8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Eicke M, Briner J, Willi U, Uehlinger J, Boltshauser E Symmetrical thalamic lesions in infants Arch Dis Child 1992 67 15–9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Parisi JE, Collins GH, Kim RC, Crosley CJ Prenatal symmetrical thalamic degeneration with flexion spasticity at birth Ann Neurol 1983 13 94–7

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. DiMario F, Clancy R Symmetrical thalamic degeneration with calcifications of infancy Am J Dis Child 1989 143 1056–60

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Roland EH, Poskitt K, Rodriguez E, Lupton BA, Hill A Perinatal hypoxic–ischemic thalamic injury: clinical features and neuroimaging Ann Neurol 1998 44 161–6

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Natsume J, Watanabe K, Kuno K, Hayakawa F, Hashizume Y Clinical, neurophysiologic, and neuropathological features of an infant with brain damage of total asphyxia type (Myers) Pediatr Neurol 1995 13 61–4

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Trounce JQ, Fawer CL, Punt J, Dodd KL, Fielder AR, Levene MI Primary thalamic haemorrhage in the newborn: a new clinical entity Lancet 1985 Jan 26 190–2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Donn SM Possible mechanisms of primary thalamic haemorrhage in newborn Lancet 1985 Apr 6 823

  13. Kyllerman M, Bager B, Bensch J, Bille B, Olow I, Voss H Dyskinetic cerebral palsy: I. Clinical categories, associated neurological abnormalities and incidences Acta Paediatr Scand 1982 71 543–50

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Okumura A, Hayakawa F, Kato T, Kuno K, Watanabe K Bilateral basal ganglia–thalamic lesions subsequent to prolonged fetal bradycardia Early Hum Dev 2000 58 (2) 111–8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank both K. Drews, MD, Department of Radiology, University of Tuebingen, and M. Bitzer, MD, Department of Neuroradiology, University of Tuebingen, for performing the excellent ultrasound scans and neuroimaging studies on our patient and for their advice in selecting the adequate images.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Banerjea, M., Speer, C. Bilateral Thalamic Lesions in a Newborn with Intrauterine Asphyxia After Maternal Cardiac Arrest — a Case Report with Literature Review. J Perinatol 21, 405–409 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7210560

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7210560

Search

Quick links