Dialysis disequilibrium syndrome in neurointensive care unit: the benefit of intracranial pressure monitoring

Abstract

Dialysis disequilibrium syndrome (DDS) is a brain disease characterized by neurological symptoms due to cerebral edema after hemodialysis (HD). However, a direct measurement of intracranial pressure (ICP) rarely objectifi ed this edema [1]. We report the case of a patient whose DDS was diagnosed by an increase of ICP. A 51-year-old man was admitted for severe traumatic brain injury. At admission, an extradural hematoma was evacuated. After surgery, ICP monitoring guided the treatment. At day 4, toxic acute renal failure appeared. Fearing the occurrence of a DDS, we used continuous veno-venous hemofi ltration (CVVH), which allowed a gradual reduction in urea without an intracranial hypertension (ICH) episode. Later, after a resumption of diuresis, we stopped CVVH. At day 11, urea increased to 35.6 mmol/L and creatininemia to 452 mol/L. Serum sodium was 145 mmol/L. Because the trauma had occurred several days before, we decided to perform HD. One hour after the start of HD, an ICH appeared (ICP = 37 mm Hg). Urea was 22.3 mmol/L and serum sodium was 144 mmol/L (unchanged). DDS was diagnosed. After HD was stopped, osmotherapy was administered, and neurosedation was increased, ICP returned to normal (Figure 1). Afterward, we successfully used CVVH