Het posterieur reversibel encefalopathiesyndroom

Abstract

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome Being confronted with postoperative complications can be challenging. When a patient shows signs of postoperative neurological deficit, a wide range of possible explanations has to be considered. In this specific case, the diagnosis of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) was made. PRES is characterised by neurological symptoms (headache, confusion, visual changes, paresis and/or convulsions) and certain findings on cerebral imaging (vasogenic oedema, predominantly in the posterior areas of the brain). It is linked to hypertensive disorders, (pre-)eclampsia, certain auto-immune diseases, the use of immunosuppressive medication and kidney failure. Treatment of the hypertension is crucial, but antiseizure drugs and treatment of the underlying disease may also be necessary. Most patients have a complete recovery within 2 weeks. A small minority, however, experiences residual neurologic deficits resulting from secondary cerebral infarction or haemorrhage.