477 - Bridging the Gaps in Dyke-Davidoff-Masson Syndrome: A Case Report

Friday, February 23, 2024

5:00 PM – 6:30 PM EDT

Presenting Author(s)

NS

Navjot Singh, MD

Resident Physician
NYU Langone
Long Island City, New Jersey, United States

Co-Author(s)

MP

Marichelle Pita, BS

medical student
NYIT SOM
New York, New York, United States
HF

Hannah Fischer, BS

medical student
NYIT SOM
New York, New York, United States

Corresponding Author(s)

RS

Renat Sukhov, MD

attending physician, pediatric rehabilitation
NYU Langone
New York, New York, United States

Case Diagnosis: Dyke-Davidoff-Masson Syndrome (DDMS)

Case Description: The patient is a 11-year-old child who presented with symptomatic focal epilepsy. The patient underwent neurosurgical intervention after identification of epileptic foci causing seizures. Concomitantly, the patient displayed symptoms of headaches, cognitive impairment, and memory concerns. MR imaging of the brain revealed gliosis in the left Perisylvian and Perirolandic regions with left cerebral hemiatrophy and thickening of the adjacent calvarium, suggestive of DDMS.

Discussions: DDMS is a rare neurological disorder that is characterized by cerebral hemiatrophy, hemiparesis, seizures, and mental retardation (Aguiar et. al). DDMS may be congenital or acquired due to an insult to the brain during fetal or childhood development (Sharma et. al, 2006). Diagnosis is supported by radiologic findings on CT or MRI. Typically, findings may reveal unilateral cerebral hemiatrophy and ipsilateral ventricular dilation and skull thickening (Tasdemir et. al, 2002). At this time, symptomatic management is the mainstay of treatment (Behera et. al, 2012). Early intervention by pediatric physiatry and engagement in neurorehabilitation serves to identify the specific functional needs of the patient in a timely manner. This, in addition to appropriate diagnostic workup and treatment, may ameliorate the variety of clinical manifestations exhibited by the patient. This case highlights the significance of timely physiatric care for a patient with a complex clinical picture.

Conclusions: Dyke-Davidoff-Masson syndrome is a rare neurologic condition diagnosed via clinical symptomatology and radiologic findings. Early physiatric care with a focus on neurorehabilitation may mitigate long-term functional impairments in such patients.