Reversible hepatocerebral degeneration-like syndrome due to portovenous shunts.

Ataxia and tremor are rare manifestations of hepatocerebral degeneration due to portovenous shunts. Ammonia is a neurotoxin that plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy. A 58-year old male patient was assessed with the complaints of gait disturbance, hand tremor, and impairment of speech. His neurological examination revealed dysarthric speech and ataxic gait. Bilateral kinetic tremor was noted, and deep tendon reflexes of the patient were hyperactive. Serum ammonia level was found to be 156.9 microg/dL. Cranial magnetic resonance (MR) imaging revealed increased signal intensity in bilateral globus pallidus on T1-weighted axial sections, and bilateral prominent hyperintense lesions in the middle cerebellar peduncles on T2-weighted axial sections. On his abdominal MR portography, multiple portohepatic venous collaterals were noted in the right and left lobes of liver parenchyma in 2D FIESTA axial MR sections. To our knowledge, we reported the first case of acquired hepatocerebral degeneration presenting with cerebral symptoms without any hepatic findings in which clinical improvement was noted, and hyperammonemia disappeared following medical treatment.