A Rare Case Report of Neuroimaging, Electrophysiological, and Dynamic Laryngoscopy Studies in a Stroke Patient of Foix‐Chavany‐Marie Syndrome

Foix‐Chavany‐Marie Syndrome (FCMS), also known as opercular syndrome, is a rare neurological disorder caused by an ischemic stroke that results in autonomic‐voluntary dissociation. In this case report, we describe a patient who presented with an acute right frontal and parietal cortical lesion, in addition to a remote infarction in the left lateral paraventricular region. The patient exhibited a masked face, facial paralysis, dysarthria, dysphagia, and apraxia of eyelid closure while automatic pathways, such as crying and laughing, remained intact. MRI revealed an acute ischemic lesion in the operculum and a chronic contralateral lesion. Blink reflex testing indicated intact brainstem pathways but an impaired corticobulbar tract. Dynamic laryngoscopy showed severe impairment in the oral and pharyngeal stages of swallowing. Early diagnosis and a multimodal therapeutic approach, including acupuncture and swallowing training, significantly improved patient outcomes, including the resolution of eyelid motor control deficits. The patient had a relatively good prognosis.