Extensive Microhemorrhages of the Cerebellar Peduncles After High-Altitude Cerebral Edema

Abstract

Pichler Hefti, Jacqueline, Philipp Hoigné-Perret, and Raimund Kottke. Extensive microhemorrhages of the cerebellar peduncles after high-altitude cerebral edema. High Alt Med Biol. 18:182-184, 2017.-Neuromagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of subjects who suffered from high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE) typically shows cerebral microhemorrhages (MH) of the corpus callosum, in particular the splenium, and supratentorial white matter. This is a case report of a 43-year-old male, who suffered from unusually prolonged severe ataxia and amnesia after having been rescued during the ascent to Mount Everest at 6400 m. MRI of the brain 63 days after the incident showed the typical MH in the corpus callosum, but, in addition, extensive MH were found in the middle cerebellar peduncles. These infratentorial MH might reflect the pronounced atactic gait disorder. This case describes the first HACE-associated MH in the cerebellar peduncles in a high-altitude mountaineer indicating a potential vulnerability of infratentorial brain areas to hypobaric hypoxia.