Foster Kennedy syndrome
Foster Kennedy syndrome | |
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Specialty | Neurology |
Foster–Kennedy syndrome (also known as Gowers–Paton–Kennedy syndrome, Kennedy's phenomenon or Kennedy's syndrome) refers to a constellation of findings associated with tumors of the frontal lobe.[1]
Although Foster–Kennedy syndrome is equated with Kennedy syndrome,[2] it should not be confused with Kennedy disease, which is named for William R. Kennedy.
Pseudo-Foster–Kennedy syndrome is defined as one-sided optic atrophy with papilledema in the other eye but with the absence of a mass.[3]
Presentation
The syndrome is defined as the following changes:
- optic atrophy in the ipsilateral eye
- disc edema in the contralateral eye
- central scotoma (loss of vision in the middle of the visual fields) in the ipsilateral eye
- anosmia (loss of smell) ipsilaterally
This syndrome is due to optic nerve compression, olfactory nerve compression, and increased intracranial pressure (ICP) secondary to a mass (such as meningioma or plasmacytoma, usually an olfactory groove meningioma).[4][5] There are other symptoms present in some cases such as nausea and vomiting, memory loss and emotional lability (i.e., frontal lobe signs).[5]
History
The syndrome was first extensively noted by Robert Foster Kennedy in 1911, a British neurologist, who spent most of his career working in the United States of America.[6] However, the first mention of the syndrome came from a William Gowers in 1893. Schultz-Zehden described the symptoms again in 1905. A later description was written by Wilhelm Uhthoff in 1915.[7]
Treatment and prognosis
The treatment, and therefore prognosis, varies depending upon the underlying tumour.[5]
References
- ^ "Kennedy syndrome" at Dorland's Medical Dictionary
- ^ "Foster Kennedy syndrome" at Dorland's Medical Dictionary
- ^ Bansal S, Dabbs T, Long V (2008). "Pseudo-Foster Kennedy Syndrome due to unilateral optic nerve hypoplasia: a case report". J Med Case Reports. 2: 86. doi:10.1186/1752-1947-2-86. PMC 2278154. PMID 18348732. Retrieved 2008-08-13.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link) - ^ Longmore, Murray; Ian Wilkinson; Tom Turmezei; Chee Kay Cheung (2007). Oxford Handbook of Clinicial Medicine, 7th edition. Oxford University Press. p. 690. ISBN 0-19-856837-1.
- ^ a b c Willacy, Hayley. "Foster Kennedy syndrome". Retrieved 2008-08-13.
- ^ Thorofare, NJ (1911). Kennedy F; Retrobulbar neuritis as an exact diagnostic sign of certain tumors and abscesses in the frontal lobe. American Journal of the Medical Sciences.
- ^ "Kennedy's syndrome". Retrieved 2008-08-13.