Late Diagnosis of a Patient With Gradual Onset of Lateral Medullary Syndrome Secondary to Spontaneous Vertebral Artery Dissection: A Case Report

Lateral medullary syndrome (LMS), also known as Wallenberg syndrome, is a cerebrovascular event following ischemia of the lateral part of the medulla oblongata. Some of its etiologies include atherosclerotic changes, hypertension, thromboembolism, vertebral artery dissection (VAD), and aneurysm. We present a case of a 45-year-old male with LMS with a gradual onset of atypical symptoms of LMS, which has led to a late diagnosis of our patient. VAD is a commonly recognized cause of stroke in young people and it is a more frequent cause of LMS than posterior inferior cerebellar artery diseases. This case highlights the importance of early identification of signs and symptoms and that appropriate investigation should take place to optimize patient life quality and prognosis.