Case Report
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. Jul 6, 2023; 11(19): 4707-4712
Published online Jul 6, 2023. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i19.4707
Poststroke rehabilitation using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation during pregnancy: A case report
Joongho Jo, Hyojong Kim
Joongho Jo, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju-si 28644, Chungbuk, South Korea
Hyojong Kim, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongjusi 28644, Chungbuk, South Korea
Author contributions: Jo JH contributed to manuscript writing and editing and case selection; Kim HJ contributed to manuscript supervision; all authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Informed consent statement: Informed written consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this report and accompanying images.
Conflict-of-interest statement: No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Hyojong Kim, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Chungbuk National University Hospital, 776, Sunhwan-ro, Seowon-gu, Cheongju 28644, Korea, Cheongjusi 28644, Chungbuk, South Korea. hyojong80@gmail.com
Received: April 10, 2023
Peer-review started: April 10, 2023
First decision: May 12, 2023
Revised: May 22, 2023
Accepted: June 9, 2023
Article in press: June 9, 2023
Published online: July 6, 2023
Processing time: 81 Days and 9.6 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a form of magnetic stimulation therapy used to treat depression, migraine, and motor function impairment in patients with stroke. As there is little research on the effects of rTMS in pregnant women, it is not widely used in these patients. This case report aimed to demonstrate the safety of rTMS in pregnant patients.

CASE SUMMARY

After much consideration, we applied rTMS to treat recent stroke and hemiplegia in a 34-year-old pregnant woman. The patient received 45 sessions of low-frequency treatment over the course of 10 wk. We closely monitored the mother and fetus for potential side effects; the results showed significant improvement in the patient's motor function, with no harmful effects on the mother or fetus during pregnancy or after delivery. The patient’s fine motor and walking functions improved after treatment. This case is the first instance of a stroke patient treated with rTMS during pregnancy.

CONCLUSION

This case demonstrates that rTMS could be used to improve motor function recovery in stroke patients during pregnancy.

Keywords: Health; Pregnancy; Rehabilitation; Stroke; Transcranial magnetic stimulation; Case report

Core Tip: This case report describes the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to improve the motor function of a patient after stroke. The patient was pregnant, but low-frequency rTMS was deemed to be safe and was administered for 10 wk. After treatment, the patient regained function in her hands and was able to walk without a cane, and no side effects were observed in the patient or her baby. This case demonstrates that rTMS can be used safely in pregnant patients.