Korean J Crit Care Med.  2010 Dec;25(4):263-265. 10.4266/kjccm.2010.25.4.263.

Hyperthermia Plus Tachycardia Is Predictive of Fatal Outcome in Pontine Hemorrhage: A Case Report

• Eom DW
• Jeon KD
• Kim JS

• KMID: 2228191
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4266/kjccm.2010.25.4.263

Abstract

Pontine hemorrhage is characterized by high mortality and morbidity. We report a case of pontine hemorrhage treated by extraventricular drainage (EVD) of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and control of intracranial pressure (ICP) at the neuro-intensive care unit (NICU). The patient's ICP was well controlled, but hyperthermia with tachycardia developed 8 hours after admission, and the patient expired with sudden cardiac arrest. A literature review revealed that high fever (>39degrees C) developing within 24 hours after onset of hemorrhage with tachycardia (>110 beat/min) is a clinical indicator for high probability of death. Therefore, it is important that not only ICP and neurological changes but also vital signs, especially body temperature and heart rate, be monitored in pontine hemorrhage patients.

Keyword

hyperthermia; pontine hemorrhage; tachycardia

MeSH Terms

Body Temperature
Death, Sudden, Cardiac
Drainage
Fatal Outcome
Fever
Heart Rate
Hemorrhage
Humans
Intracranial Pressure
Tachycardia
Vital Signs