Relieving Intracranial Pressure Cured Hypoxemia-where does the Mystery Lie? - Abstract
Respiratory malfunction is associated with a variety of intracranial abnormalities. Neurogenic ventilation- perfusion mismatch due to intrapulmonary shunting is a less described phenomenon. Here we report a case of acute or chronic subdural hematoma complicated by acute preoperative arterial hypoxemia due to neurogenic intrapulmonary shunt (NIS). Hypoxemia subsided with surgical drainage of the subdural blood. One hypothesis for the mechanism of this phenomenon is that a disturbance is created in nervous system control of perfusion-ventilation relationships of the lung. Such a mismatch can be diagnosed using Giola’s diagnostic criteria. Quick and definitive relieving of intracranial pressure is the formula to treat NIS.