eMedicine Specialties > Neurology > Neurotoxicology
Central Pontine Myelinolysis: Follow-up
Updated: Aug 26, 2009
Follow-up
Further Inpatient Care
See Consultations.
Further Outpatient Care
The patient requires follow-up care with neurorehabilitation-associated services.
Transfer
Once medically stable, the patient should be evaluated by a neurorehabilitation specialist and, if appropriate, transferred for further inpatient recovery-oriented therapy.
Complications
Possible complications include those associated with severe central nervous system injury and reduced activity.
- Ventilator dependency
- Aspiration pneumonia
- Venous thrombosis
- Pulmonary embolism
- Contractures
- Muscle wasting
- Decubitus ulcers
- Urinary tract infections
- Depression
Prognosis
- Maximum recovery may require several months.
- Chronic neurologic deficits range from "locked-in" syndrome to spastic quadriparesis.
- Patients with extrapontine lesions may exhibit tremor and ataxia.
- Death is common.
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| Multimedia: Central Pontine Myelinolysis |
| References |
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References
Adams RD, Victor M, Mancall EL. Central pontine myelinolysis: a hitherto undescribed disease occurring in alcoholic and malnourished patients. AMA Arch Neurol Psychiatry. Feb 1959;81(2):154-72. [Medline].
Singh N, Yu VL, Gayowski T. Central nervous system lesions in adult liver transplant recipients: clinical review with implications for management. Medicine (Baltimore). Mar 1994;73(2):110-8. [Medline].
DeWitt LD, Buonanno FS, Kistler JP, et al. Central pontine myelinolysis: demonstration by nuclear magnetic resonance. Neurology. May 1984;34(5):570-6. [Medline].
Haspolat S, Duman O, Senol U, Yegin O. Extrapontine myelinolysis in infancy: report of a case. J Child Neurol. Nov 2004;19(11):913-5. [Medline].
Karp BI, Laureno R. Pontine and extrapontine myelinolysis: a neurologic disorder following rapid correction of hyponatremia. Medicine (Baltimore). Nov 1993;72(6):359-73. [Medline].
Laureno R, Karp BI. Myelinolysis after correction of hyponatremia. Ann Intern Med. Jan 1 1997;126(1):57-62. [Medline].
Martin RJ. Central pontine and extrapontine myelinolysis: the osmotic demyelination syndromes. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. Sep 2004;75 Suppl 3:iii22-8. [Medline].
Further Reading
Keywords
central pontine myelinolysis, osmotic myelinolysis, CPM, hyponatremia, noninflammatory demyelination, stripping of the myelin sheath, alcoholism, liver disease, malnutrition
Follow-up: Central Pontine Myelinolysis