Bridging the Gap: Translating Microemboli-Induced Spreading Depolarization Into Clinical Practice.
Magnus Peter Brammer Kreiberg, Steffen Hamann, Sverre Rosenbaum et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
Case in brief
A 68-year-old woman experienced daily migraine aura episodes following mitral valve surgery. Transcranial Doppler revealed real-time microemboli in the posterior circulation during these episodes. After starting antiplatelet therapy, her aura symptoms ceased, and subsequent Doppler assessments showed no detectable microemboli.
What made this case unusual
This case highlights the link between cerebral microemboli and migraine aura symptoms, suggesting that transient neurologic episodes can be induced by microembolism, a connection not commonly recognized in clinical practice.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
Clinicians should consider the possibility of microemboli as a trigger for migraine aura symptoms, especially in patients with recent surgical interventions.
Why it matters
Understanding this association may enhance the management of migraine aura and improve patient outcomes following procedures that increase the risk of cerebral microemboli.