The differentiation of peripheral effector neuron failure from acute brain stem dysfunction in a critically ill patient.
A patient appeared to be in coma following pneumococcal meningitis, an intracerebral haemorrhage, and a cardiac arrest. Late in the course of his illness neurophysiological investigations confirmed a proposal that he also had a fulminant acute demyelinating polyneuropathy which, for a period of five days, rendered the patient completely unresponsive. The patient recovered and is now working without any disability.
Bain
P G
PG
Department of Neurology, South-East Thames Regional Neurosciences Centre, Brook Hospital, London, UK.
Harwood
G
G
Holder
G E
GE
Evans
B M
BM
D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000293:injuries* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D003422:Critical Care; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016489:Head Injuries, Closed / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000294:innervation*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000503:physiopathology; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011129:Polyradiculoneuropathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*; D013577:Syndrome