Isolated extrapontine myelinolysis of osmotic demyelination syndrome.

Abstract

The osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS) has been identified as a complication of the rapid correction of hyponatremia for decades (King and Rosner, 2010). However, in recent years, a variety of other medical conditions have been associated with the development of ODS, independent of changes in serum sodium which cause a rapid changes in osmolality of the interstitial (extracellular) compartment of the brain leading to dehydration of energy-depleted cells with subsequent axonal damage that occurs in characteristic areas (King and Rosner, 2010). Slow correction of the serum sodium concentration and additional administration of corticosteroids seems to be a major prevention step in ODS patients. In the current report we aimed to share a rare case which we observed in our clinic.