What happened?
A 72-year-old man experienced three stereotyped episodes of left-sided weakness within 24 hours before developing a right internal-capsule infarct. Following acute stroke treatment, the report describes early inpatient rehabilitation and recovery of functional independence.
Clinical findings
- The patient experienced recurrent transient unilateral weakness before a confirmed right posterior-limb internal-capsule infarct.
- At presentation, left facial droop and hemiparesis were recorded, with an NIH Stroke Scale score of 7.
- Before the event, he had been independent in daily activities, with modified Rankin Scale 0 and Barthel Index 100/100.
Rehabilitation described in the report
- After acute stroke management, inpatient rehabilitation targeted upper- and lower-limb recovery.
- The programme included the Graded Repetitive Arm Supplementary Programme approach and proprioceptive balance training as part of multidisciplinary care.
Reported outcomes
- The authors reported near-complete functional independence by discharge.
Clinical lessons to consider
- Repeated transient focal neurological symptoms are an emergency and should not be dismissed when they resolve.
- Early rehabilitation after medical stabilization should target upper-limb function and balance-related mobility.
Limitations — what this case cannot tell us
- A single case cannot establish superiority of the described rehabilitation protocols.
- Acute medical treatment and spontaneous neurological recovery also contribute to the observed outcome.
Original source
Quoc Dung Nguyen, Jim Xu, Friedbert Kohler. “Capsular Warning Syndrome Followed by Right Internal Capsule Infarction: A Case Report Emphasising Post-Stroke Rehabilitation.” SAGE Open Medical Case Reports, 2025. DOI: 10.1177/2050313X251364366
View the original publicationThis page is an independently written educational summary, not a reproduction of the full paper. Check the original article for complete methods, outcome tables, references and licensing.