Neurocysticercosis presenting to the emergency department as a pure motor hemiparesis.

We report the case of a 23-year-old male who presented to the emergency department (ED) with an isolated right-sided pure motor hemiparesis (PMH). An unenhanced computed tomography (CT scan) revealed a hypodensity in the area of the left parasagittal motor strip. The patient then experienced a Jacksonian type of seizure involving his right leg and was treated with intravenous phenytoin and dexamethasone. A second CT scan performed with contrast was thought to be consistent with a cerebral abscess with surrounding white matter edema. Surgical findings were consistent with neurocysticercosis. The patient was treated with praziquantel with nearly full recovery. Worldwide, cysticercosis is the most common CNS parasite. Because of immigration from endemic areas, cysticercosis has become more common in the United States. Patients with neurocysticercosis may arrive in the ED with a wide variety of unusual presentations. In this case, the PMH syndrome was caused by a solitary lesion in the motor strip. This report describes a case of PMH due to neurocysticercosis secondary to local mass affect alone. The literature of neurocysticercosis and PMH is reviewed and the pathogenesis, clinical presentation, and therapy are discussed.