CONTINUOUS HEMODIALYSIS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF ACUTE-RENAL-FAILURE IN THE PRESENCE OF CEREBELLAR HEMORRHAGE - CASE-REPORT

In this report the authors describe the use of continuous venovenous h emodialysis (CVVHD) in a medically unstable patient who suffered from a spontaneous cerebellar hemorrhage. Conventional dialysis techniques carry the risk of developing the dialysis disequilibrium syndrome (DDS ) when performed in the presence of a variety of intracranial diseases . The CVVHD technique was used successfully in a morbidly obese, short -statured woman with a spontaneous hypertensive intraparenchymal cereb ellar hemorrhage. The woman experienced acute renal failure several da ys after her hemorrhage and her general medical condition prevent ed h er from undergoing surgical evacuation. The CVVHD did not result in el evations in intracranial pressure (ICP) and the patient made a full re covery from both acute renal failure and life-threatening posterior fo ssa hemorrhage. This case is noteworthy because of the absence of abno rmally high ICP elevations or development of DDS in a patient with a l arge acute posterior fossa intraparenchymal brain hemorrhage and acute renal failure whose case was managed with CVVHD in the acute period.