A case of shock subsequent to treatment of intracranial hypertension by mannitol injection combined with hyperventilation.

This report describes a sudden decrease in blood pressure after conservative treatment of acute intracranial hypertension. A 63-year-old woman with acute hydrocephalus after undergoing clipping of an aneurysm of the right supracerebellar artery developed increased intracranial pressure, necessitating surgical management. On the operating table, the patient developed Cushing's reflex. Mannitol injection combined with hyperventilation was begun immediately to reduce her intracranial pressure. Fifteen minutes later, a sudden and prolonged suppression of circulation was observed (blood pressure 65/35-85/40 mmHg, heart rate 90-100 beats/min). Postoperatively, computed tomography of the head showed compression of the brain stem. We believe that this patient's blood pressure decrease was related to a sudden reduction of intracranial pressure and that mannitol injection was principally responsible for this occurrence.