An elderly patient with Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis and transient episodes of brainstem dysfunction.
BACKGROUND
Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis (BBE) is a rare inflammatory, demyelinating disease that generally has a good prognosis.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the course of a patient with severe BBE and multiple medical complications.


METHODS
Case report.


METHODS
Academic medical center.


METHODS
An 81-year-old woman with BBE who fully recovered. The patient had transient and very frequent episodes of brainstem dysfunction during the recovery phase.


METHODS
Clinical and biochemical evaluation with magnetic resonance imaging.


CONCLUSIONS
Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis is a potentially reversible syndrome that needs early diagnosis (facilitated by magnetic resonance imaging) and prompt aggressive and supportive treatment. Frequent episodes of transient brainstem dysfunction occurred in our patient during recovery, possibly due to ephaptic transmission.
Department of Neurology, Mail Code 2030, University of Chicago Medical Center, 5841 S Maryland Ave, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. rroos@neurology.bsd.uchicago.edu
Raymond P
RP
Roos
Betty
B
Soliven
Fernando
F
Goldenberg
Aamir
A
Badruddin
Joseph M
JM
Baron
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008776:Methylprednisolone Hemisuccinate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013577:Syndrome
D008776:Methylprednisolone Hemisuccinate; D011241:Prednisone