TY - JOUR
T1 - Iatrogenic nontraumatic CPAP-induced pneumocephalus in a patient with meningitis
AU - Charokopos, Antonios
AU - Card, Mary Elizabeth
AU - Manes, Richard Peter
AU - Shaw, Albert
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 American Academy of Sleep Medicine. All rights reserved.
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - Pneumocephalus, or air within the cranium, can be caused by trauma, intracranial infections, or tumors, and can also occur as a complication of neurosurgery and lumbar puncture. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy can precipitate or worsen pneumocephalus in cases of known head trauma. However, nontraumatic pneumocephalus being caused by CPAP is a highly unexpected clinical event. We describe a case of a patient who presented with meningitis due to an atypical organism that usually resides in the oral cavity, and who developed nontraumatic pneumocephalus in the hospital due to CPAP therapy. The underlying cause, a cerebrospinal fluid leak, was likely the mediator for both pathologies. In the setting of the increasing prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea, physicians can benefit from being aware of this atypical presentation of meningitis and atypical complication of CPAP therapy.
AB - Pneumocephalus, or air within the cranium, can be caused by trauma, intracranial infections, or tumors, and can also occur as a complication of neurosurgery and lumbar puncture. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy can precipitate or worsen pneumocephalus in cases of known head trauma. However, nontraumatic pneumocephalus being caused by CPAP is a highly unexpected clinical event. We describe a case of a patient who presented with meningitis due to an atypical organism that usually resides in the oral cavity, and who developed nontraumatic pneumocephalus in the hospital due to CPAP therapy. The underlying cause, a cerebrospinal fluid leak, was likely the mediator for both pathologies. In the setting of the increasing prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea, physicians can benefit from being aware of this atypical presentation of meningitis and atypical complication of CPAP therapy.
KW - CSF leak
KW - Continuous positive airway pressure
KW - Obstructive sleep apnea
KW - Pneumocephalus
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U2 - 10.5664/jcsm.7776
DO - 10.5664/jcsm.7776
M3 - Article
C2 - 31053214
AN - SCOPUS:85066351723
SN - 1550-9389
VL - 15
SP - 781
EP - 783
JO - Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine
JF - Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine
IS - 5
ER -