Aphasia Following Left Putaminal Hemorrhage at a Rehabilitation Hospital.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to clarify the relationship between aphasia and hematoma type/volume in patients with left putaminal hemorrhage admitted to a rehabilitation facility.

METHODS: We evaluated the relationship between the presence, type, and severity of aphasia and hematoma type/volume in 92 patients with putaminal hemorrhage aged 29-83 years. Hematoma type and volume were evaluated on the basis of CT images obtained at stroke onset. The Standard Language Test for Aphasia was conducted as part of the initial assessment.

RESULTS: Aphasia was observed in 79 of 92 patients. A total of 31 patients had fluent aphasia, while 48 had non-fluent aphasia. Non-fluent aphasia often involved hematoma on the anterior limb of the internal capsule, while fluent aphasia often involved hematoma on the posterior limb of internal capsule. When the hematoma volume exceeded 20 mL, patients experienced difficulty in repeating spoken words. When hematoma volume exceeded 40 mL, non-fluent aphasia was observed in all patients.

CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that hematoma type and volume not only influence the development of aphasia following putaminal hemorrhage but also play a major role in determining the patient's fluency and repetition ability.