An unusual presentation of large pneumoencephaly after frequent falls in an elderly patient.
Pneumoencephaly is usually a complication of head trauma or craniotomy. We present a patient with large pneumoencephaly with acute neurological deficit after frequent falls, but without recent major trauma or surgery. Skull X-ray films show intracranial air in the frontal region and in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th ventricles, reminiscent of an pneumoencephalogram. Computed tomography (CT) of the head shows air in the right frontal region and lateral ventricles. After craniotomy to relieve the pressure of the air, the clinical condition of the patient improved significantly after six months.
Chu
Ching-Hua
CH
Department of Neurology, Wei Gong Memorial Hospital, Miaoli, Taiwan.
Huang
Wei-Chiu
WC
Lin
Yi-Lan
YL
Wang
Chao-Ran
CR
D000058:Accidental Falls; D000368:Aged; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000150:complications*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011007:Pneumocephalus / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D012886:Skull / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed