Wernicke's Encephalopathy following Gastrectomy in Patients with Gastric Cancer.
- Author:
Min Hyoung KIM
1
;
Jong Min BAEK
;
Gi Young SUNG
;
Sang LEE
;
Won Jong YOU
;
Young Bin CHOI
;
Wook KIM
;
Young PARK
;
Jong Man WON
Author Information
1. Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea. kimwook@catholic.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Wernicke encephalopathy;
Thiamine deficiency;
Gastrectomy
- MeSH:
Alcoholism;
Anorexia Nervosa;
Ataxia;
Brain;
Diagnosis;
Eye Movements;
Gastrectomy*;
Gastroplasty;
Humans;
Magnetic Resonance Imaging;
Nervous System Diseases;
Obesity, Morbid;
Renal Dialysis;
Stomach Neoplasms*;
Thiamine;
Thiamine Deficiency;
Vitamins;
Wernicke Encephalopathy*
- From:Journal of the Korean Surgical Society
2006;70(3):218-222
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Wernicke's encephalopathy is a neurological disorder that is caused by a thiamine deficiency, and characterized by acute confusion, ataxia, a change in the patient's state of mind and abnormal eye movement (op-thalmophlegia and nystag-mus). This encephalopathy can be found in patients with chronic alcoholism, anorexia nervosa, hemodialysis, AIDS and gastroplasty for morbid obesity. The diagnosis of this disease is difficult because not all cases display the typical symptoms. However, this disease can be confirmed not only by the clinical symptoms but also by the brain MRI findings, low thiamine level and clinical response to thiamine replacement therapy. We experienced two cases of Wer-nicke's encephalopathy in patients who underwent a gas-trec-tomy for gastric cancer. However, this condition was not diagnosed until the patients showed neurological symptoms and the typical MRI findings. These patients improved after vitamin B(1) (thiamine) replacement.
