Diencephalic syndrome: An anaesthetic challenge

Abstract

Diencephalic syndrome is one of the rare causes of failure to thrive in infants and young children. It is caused by a tumour in diencephalon (thalamus and hypothalamus), characterised by profound emaciation with uniform loss of body weight despite normal or slightly decreased appetite, locomotor hyperactivity, euphoria and visual symptoms. Anaesthetic considerations due to decreased body fat include positioning to avoid pressure necrosis, measures to avoid hypothermia, proper drug dosing, treating electrolyte imbalances and delayed recovery. We report successful anaesthetic management of a child with diencephalic syndrome scheduled for an endoscopic biopsy of suprasellar space occupying lesion under general anaesthesia.