The supplementary motor area (SMA) syndrome is a frequently encountered clinical phenomenon associated with surgery of the dorsomedial prefrontal lobe. The region has a known motor sequencing function and the dominant pre-SMA specifically is associated with more complex language functions; the SMA is furthermore incorporated in the negative motor network. The SMA has a rich interconnectivity with other cortical regions and subcortical structures using the frontal aslant tract (FAT) and the frontostriatal tract (FST). The development of the SMA syndrome is positively correlated with the extent of resection of the SMA region, especially its medial side. This may be due to interruption of the nearby callosal association fibres as the contralateral SMA has a particular important function in brain plasticity after SMA surgery. The syndrome is characterized by a profound decrease in interhemispheric connectivity of the motor network hubs. Clinical improvement is related to increasing connectivity between the contralateral SMA region and the ipsilateral motor hubs. Overall, most patients know a full recovery of the SMA syndrome, however a minority of patients might continue to suffer from mild motor and speech dysfunction. Rarely, no recovery of neurological function after SMA region resection is reported.

We report the case of a 32-year-old man receiving chemotherapeutics for an acute B-lymphoblastic leukemia who developed proven cerebral and pulmonary aspergillosis with Aspergillus flavus. Because of progressive fungal disease with neurological deterioration despite adequate systemic antifungal therapy and surgical debridement, intracerebral administration of liposomal amphotericin B was initiated at 5 mg twice weekly. This led to improvement of the cerebral infection. Surgical debridement of a pleural Aspergillus empyema was necessary, and pleural trough level of isavuconazole was found to be subtherapeutic despite adequate blood trough levels, which led us to increase the dose of isavuconazole. We conclude that intralesional amphotericin B might be beneficial at 5 mg twice weekly in cerebral aspergillosis if systemic antifungals and surgical debridement fail. In Aspergillus empyema, measurement of pleural isavuconazole trough levels should be considered.

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