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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Asian J Neurosurg 2015; 10(01): 59
DOI: 10.4103/1793-5482.151528
CASE REPORT

Refractory hypokalemia during barbiturate coma therapy used for treating refractory intracranial hypertension in traumatic brain injury

Wan Mohd Wan Hassan
Department of Anaesthesiology, School of Medical Sciences and P3 Neuro Center, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan
,
Nazuha Najid
Department of Anaesthesiology, School of Medical Sciences and P3 Neuro Center, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan
,
Halimatun Muslim
Department of Anaesthesiology, School of Medical Sciences and P3 Neuro Center, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan
,
Abdul Izaini Ghani
1   Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences and P3 Neuro Center, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan
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Barbiturate coma therapy (BCT) is a choice treatment for refractory intracranial hypertension after all surgical or medical managements have failed to control the intracranial pressure (ICP). It helps to reduce cerebral blood flow, cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen consumption and ICP. However, this therapy can also cause many complications. One of the underreported, but life-threatening complications is refractory hypokalemia, which can lead to subsequent rebound hyperkalemia after sudden cessation. We report our experience of managing unusual complication of refractory hypokalemia during BCT with thiopentone in postdecompressive craniectomy patient.

Key-words:

Barbiturate coma - hypokalemia - intracranial hypertension - traumatic brain injury


Publication History

Article published online:
22 September 2022

© 2015. Asian Congress of Neurological Surgeons. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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