Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for hypoglycaemic encephalopathy due to insulinoma: a case report.

INTRODUCTION

Hypoglycaemic encephalopathy is a potentially life-threatening condition which can present with seizures, altered mental status or focal neurologic deficits. Therapeutic options are limited and the overall prognosis is poor. Among previously reported cases, the maximum time for patients to recover consciousness after hypoglycaemic encephalopathy was 14 days. So far, no studies have reported that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can improve the consciousness disorder of hypoglycaemic encephalopathy.

CASE REPORT: We report a case of hypoglycaemic encephalopathy caused by insulinoma who had a refractory consciousness disorder for 90 days and whose recovery was temporally related to institution of HBOT, suggesting that HBOT is a possible treatment for hypoglycaemic encephalopathy.

CONCLUSIONS

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be considered in hypoglycaemic encephalopathy when the hypoglycaemia has been corrected but patients still have reduced consciousness.