Recovery of severe dialysis disequilibrium syndrome with uncal herniation following therapy with mannitol, hyperventilation and hypertonic saline

Abstract

Dialysis disequilibrium syndrome (DDS) is a rare complication of dialysis, especially with the general application of preventive strategies. Severe DDS with brain herniation is believed to be fatal. We present a patient presenting with bilateral uncal herniation after receiving two dialysis sessions with low-efficiency settings. The serial brain magnetic resonance imaging studies showed the temporal evolution of DDS-induced cerebral edema. With aggressive treatment of hypertonic saline and mannitol, the patient made a remarkable recovery. This case highlights that we should be cautious about this severe complication of dialysis even with preventive strategies, and recovery is possible with prompt recognition and treatment.