Recurrent Hyperammonaemic Encephalopathy in a Patient with Urinary Tract Infection and Urinary Retention

Abstract

Recurrent hyperammonaemic encephalopathy in a patient with urinary tract infection and urinary retention 一位泌尿道感染和尿瀦留患者的重復性高氨血症性腦病 SH Oh, JH Wee, SP Choi Acute hyperammonaemia is a medical emergency. Most cases are resulted from severely impaired liver function but some cases of non-hepatic causes do occur. In patients with unexplained altered conscious state, immediate measurement of plasma ammonia level is a simple but important step in early diagnosis of hyperammonaemia and prompt reduction of ammonia level to minimise permanent brain damage. We reported a case of recurrent hyperammonaemia and cerebral dysfunction due to urinary tract infection with urinary retention in a patient without underlying liver disease. (Hong Kong j.emerg.med. 2012;19:417-419) 急性高氨血症是一種內科急症。大多數情況下都是由於嚴重肝功能衰退引起，但也有非肝源性的病例發 生。在原因不明的意識障礙患者中，直接測量血氨水平是及早診斷高氨血症，迅速減低血氨含量以及盡 量減少永久性的腦損害的一個簡單而重要的步驟。我們報導了一位因尿瀦留引發泌尿道感染的患者在沒 有潛在肝臟疾病的情況下所出現的重復性高氨血症和腦功能障礙。