Alien hand syndrome!

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Anyone dealt or heard of "alien hand syndrome"? Had a patient post-stroke that has this and I wouldn't have believed it unless I saw it. Her hand was like it was possessed. It had a "mind of its own". Her hand has now become known as "THE HAND" to her, as in "help me, THE HAND keeps touching me". She has completely depersonalized her hand. She kept hitting herself in the face repetitively, hard, and nearly broke her glasses. Also ended up bloodying her knuckles from hitting things. The worst part was when she grabbed her good hand with the bad hand and when she tried to pull her good hand out of her bad hand's grasp it ripped all of her skin off her hand. The hand has also tried to rip out her IV and midline.

We all had to do some research on the internet once the neurologist told us what was going on. I just feel bad for her because she can't control it and its scaring her. It doesn't help that its being so mean to her! I've read that it is quite rare. It also depends on where the stroke was at on what abilities the hand has, such as flailing, grasping, pinching, or movements that seem even more purposeful. Wondering if anyone has any stories for me on this topic?

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Does she also have heianopsia? This is common with Right hemisphereic stroke affecting the left side of the body. They completely ignore the side affected and even believe someone is on bed with them. I think we see it less becasue of the interventional medicine like the thrombolytics being utilized.

Unfortunately they cannot help themselves and there really is no "cure" so to speak. Therapy helps sometimes and sometimes it lessens in severity over time.

A great informational site.

http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=EFFECT

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Specializes in ICU.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12225163

It sounds a horrible affliction

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

Not a Med-Surg nurse here, but I wonder what would happen if that "bad arm" were massaged and pampered, like a manicure? Need to keep those nails trimmed anyway...

Otherwise, I would wrap and restrain if that's ok w/the pt, like Bluegrass suggested.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Not a Med-Surg nurse here, but I wonder what would happen if that "bad arm" were massaged and pampered, like a manicure? Need to keep those nails trimmed anyway...

Otherwise, I would wrap and restrain if that's ok w/the pt, like Bluegrass suggested.

It would work only for a short peroid of time and only if they can recognize it was attached. They fail to recognize it is a part of their body. I have seen patients wake up screaming that someone is in bed with them. There is at the time no connection at all it isn't theirs, it doesn't belong to them. You can show them until you are blue in the face that it's attached and they give you that.......Ok I'll humor you so you'll go away look. They will get up and walk leaving "that guy" over there even though they are paralyzed on the left. This is with a right sided (hemisphere) CVA with left hemaparesis. It's very difficult to deal with.......the sling sometimes works depending how severe it is........just like with hemianopsia..........turn their plate they think they have a whole new dinner.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemianopsia

This is why early intervention is so important. This was a common finding years ago and today on this site nurses have said they have never seen anything like it :yeah:

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Specializes in Utilization Management.

I've not personally seen this, but it did happen to be on a episode of House! The arm was quite abusive from what I remember.

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Specializes in Post Anesthesia.
I've not personally seen this but it did happen to be on a episode of House! The arm was quite abusive from what I remember.[/quote']

I get all my continuing education study from "House".

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