title: Therapeutic hypothermia for space-occupying Herpes simplex virus encephalitis.
abstract: Development of space-occupying edema in patients with severe Herpes simplex virus encephalitis is a major factor for high morbidity and mortality. Conventional intracranial pressure-lowering modalities are limited and more aggressive treatment options for such patients have rarely been described. This article reports on a HIV-positive patient with Herpes simplex type 2 encephalitis and elevated intracranial pressure refractory to medical therapy. Induced moderate hypothermia of 33 °C resulted in fast and sustained control of intracranial pressure. After three months, the patient had a fairly good functional outcome with a Glasgow Outcome Scale score of 4.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Erlangen, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany. ingrid.wagner@uk-erlangen.de
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Staykov
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Volbers
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kloska
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dörfler
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schwab
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bardutzky
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D020803:Encephalitis, Herpes Simplex / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D023261:Glasgow Outcome Scale; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D019586:Intracranial Hypertension / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D007427:Intracranial Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology