[Brain damage after tonsillectomy?].
We report on a 47-year old male patient who developed persistent postoperational bleeding after tonsillectomy, which made tamponading of the pharynx necessary. Even though the patient left the hospital after one week with a haemoglobin value of 10.6 g% and without any complaints, he developed personality changes and later severe neurological symptoms which led to the diagnosis of hypoxic brain damage as suggested by a variety of neurologists and psychiatrists. The diagnosis was finally disproved by a brain biopsy revealing the existence of Jakob-Creutzfeldt disease, a degenerative inflammatory disease due to a slow virus infection. By this final diagnosis the reproach of a maltreatment could be ruled out. The accidental coincidence of the tonsillectomy and the beginning of the Jakob-Creutzfeldt disease had led to the incorrect diagnosis of an operation-caused brain damage. A relation to the tonsillectomy could be ruled out by an extensive neurological examination using every possible diagnostic aid including brain biopsy.
Klinik für HNO-Heilkunde, Kopf- und Halschirurgie des Städtischen Krankenhauses Köln-Holweide.
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D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D007562:Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D000039:Peritonsillar Abscess / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D014068:Tonsillectomy
Hirnschaden nach Tonsillektomie?