ABSTRACT

Hong Kong Med J 2012;18:63-5 | Number 1, February 2012
CASE REPORT
Acute ischaemic stroke during short-term travel to high altitude
T Chan, Winnie WY Wong, Jonathan KC Chan, Johnny KF Ma, Henry KF Mak
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
 
 
This is a case report of a young healthy adult who had acute cerebral infarcts after a short-term visit to high-altitude area. He developed acute onset of right-sided limb weakness and right hemianopia a few hours after arrival at an altitude of 3600 m by train. He was initially treated for high-altitude cerebral oedema but later computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging confirmed ischaemic infarcts in the medial left occipital lobe and left thalamus. Subsequent investigations, including laboratory tests and imaging including an echocardiogram, revealed no culpable predisposing factors.
 
Key words: Altitude sickness; Brain edema; Cerebral infarction; Magnetic resonance imaging; Tomography, X-ray computed
 
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