Journal of Neurocritical Care 2017;10(1):32-35

doi:10.18700/jnc.170005

Phenylephrine Induced Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome during Resection of Solitary Pulmonary Nodule

Soon Ho HONG 1 ; Yun Kyung PARK ; Bora YOON ; Kee Ook LEE ; Yong Duk KIM ; Sang Jun NA

Affiliations

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Keywords

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome; Phenylephrine; Hypertension

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a neurological complication caused by cerebral hyperperfusion. CASE REPORT: A 46-year-old male presented with decreased mental status, left facial palsy, and left-sided weakness after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for a solitary pulmonary nodule. During the surgery, phenylephrine was infused intravenously for general anesthesia-induced hypotension. High signal intensity at the right parietooccipital lobe was noted on fluid-attenuated inversion recovering imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging. His neurological symptoms improved two days after initial presentation. Follow-up diffusion-weighted imaging showed resolution of the brain lesions 10 days after the surgery. CONCLUSIONS: We report a patient who presented with PRES after administration of phenylephrine during resection of a solitary pulmonary nodule. PRES should be considered for patients presented with acute neurologic symptoms following surgical procedures.