J Korean Neurol Assoc.  1986 Dec;4(2):185-194.

A Clinical Study on Spontaneous Pontine Hemorrhage

• Yi SD
• Suh CK
• Park YC

Abstract

A clinical study was done on 29 cases of spontaneous pontine hemorrhage which were confirmed by brain CT scan at Keimyung university Dongsan hospital from Jan. 1981 to Feb. 1986. The results are summarized as follows. 1. The incidence of pontine hemorrhage was 7.4% of all spontaneous intracranial parenchymal hemorrhage. 2. The most prevalent age group were 40th and 50th decades and male to female ratio was 2.2:1. 3. The most common precipitating factor was hypertension and most of pontine hemorrhage occurred during daily routine or increased activities. 4. Symptoms on onset were headache, altered consciousness, vomiting, dizziness, motor weakness, dysarthria, sensory disturbance and generalized convulsion, in order of frequency. 5. Cardinal neurologic signs on admission were loss of consciousness, ocular signs e.g. Pinpoint or miotic pupil absent horizontal doll's eye movement ocular bobbing skew deviation MLF syndrome, motor weakness e.g. quadriparesis hemiparesis decerebrate rigidity, positive Babinski sign. 6. Mean size of hematoma on CT was 6.8cc and 44% was under 5cc. Hematoma of 4th ventricle was seen in 36% of pontine hemorrhage. 7. 25 cases of pontine hemorrhage were divided into 3 groups according to the location of hematoma on CT-basilar (2 cases), tegmental (15 cases), diffuse (8 cases). 8. All 29 cases of pontine hemorrhage were treated medically, 21% were improved, and 79% hopeless discharge or death. 9. Mild disturbance of consciousness on admission, small size (under 5cc) of hematoma and absence of hematoma in the 4th ventricle seem to be good prognostic indicators.

MeSH Terms

Brain
Consciousness
Decerebrate State
Dizziness
Dysarthria
Eye Movements
Female
Headache
Hematoma
Hemorrhage*
Humans
Hypertension
Incidence
Male
Neurologic Manifestations
Ocular Motility Disorders
Paresis
Precipitating Factors
Pupil
Quadriplegia
Reflex, Babinski
Seizures
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Unconsciousness
Vomiting