A 60-year-old hypertensive man presents with sudden vertigo, ipsilateral lower motor neuron facial weakness, ipsilateral tinnitus with sensorineural hearing loss, ipsilateral Horner syndrome, and loss of pain and temperature over the contralateral trunk and limbs. The artery most likely occluded is:

• A Anterior inferior cerebellar artery ✓
• B Posterior inferior cerebellar artery
• C Superior cerebellar artery
• D Anterior spinal artery

Explanation

The combination of ipsilateral LMN facial palsy and sensorineural deafness localizes the lesion to the lateral pontine tegmentum at the cerebellopontine angle level, supplied by the anterior inferior cerebellar artery. The facial nerve and cochlear nuclei are spared in PICA infarction because that vessel supplies the lateral medulla caudal to the facial nucleus. Superior cerebellar artery lesions cause cerebellar deficits without facial paralysis.

Reference: Gray's Anatomy for Students, 4th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.