Spontaneous cerebellar hemorrhage after coronary artery bypass surgery.

A patient had a spontaneous intracerebellar hemorrhage following coronary artery bypass surgery. His clinical course, characterized by headaches, gait ataxia, and then signs of brain stem compression, is emphasized. Following diagnosis by cranial computerized tomography, successful surgical decompression by suboccipital craniotomy was performed. Reports of neurologic complications, especially intracranial hemorrhage, following coronary artery bypass surgery, are reviewed. Possible pathophysiologic mechanisms for these problems, and the diagnosis and treatment of this previously undescribed complication of coronary artery bypass surgery are discussed.