A Case of Conversion Disorder Presenting Hemiplegia.

, Yoo, Soon Hee; , Kim, Hye Won; , Chung, Myung Eun; , Im, Sun; , Lim, Seong Hoon; , Cho, Ye Rim; , Yu, In Hee; , Ko, Young Jin

Case Report

Journal of the Korean Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine 2009;33(3):357-360.

Yoo, Soon Hee , Kim, Hye Won , Chung, Myung Eun , Im, Sun , Lim, Seong Hoon , Cho, Ye Rim , Yu, In Hee , Ko, Young Jin

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Korea. soonee34@hotmail.com

편마비로 나타난 전환장애 1례-증례 보고-

유순희, 김혜원, 정명은, 임 선, 임성훈, 조예림, 유인희, 고영진

가톨릭대학교 의과대학 재활의학교실

Abstract

Patients with conversion disorder are often presented with critical symptoms or signs which could suggest severe organic disorders. Hysterical hemiparesis is a relatively rare presentation and it is difficult to diagnose because it is displayed as a unilateral motor weakness with or without sensory deficits. A previously healthy 23-years-old woman developed sudden onset of hemiplegia and hemianesthesia with loss of anal tone. Before the onset, she had a traffic accident. A through medical workup including X-rays, MRI, CT scans, EMG, and brain SPECT revealed no organic causes for such neurologic deficits. She gradually regained neurologic function over 2 months from the onset. Conversion disorder should be considered when symptom- related anatomic or physiologic abnormalities could not be proven with appropriate workup. Medical evaluation must be performed in advance to the diagnosis of conversion disorder to avoid misdiagnosis. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2009; 33: 357-360)

Key Words: Conversion disorder, Hemiplegia