Turkish Neurosurgery 2007 , Vol 17 , Num 1
Enlargement of Postoperative Aqueductal Air Due to Elevated Body Temperature Case Report
Burçak BİLGİNER, İbrahim M. ZİYAL, Özgür ÇELİK, Selim AYHAN, Nejat AKALAN
Department of Neurosurgery, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey Pneumocephalus has been reported after posterior fossa surgery especially with procedures performed in the sitting position. The gravitational effect is the decisive factor in the development of pneumocephalus. The entrapped air in the aqueduct may enlarge due to several factors such as elevated body temperature and may cause to deterioration in neurological status.

We report a rare case of tension pneumocephalus associated with the enlargement of massive air in aqueduct due to elevated body temperature, following removal of a cervicomedullary tumor. We believe her neurological deterioration was due to the compression of the reticular formation by dilatation of postoperative air in the aqueduct due to the elevation of her body temperature. Keywords : Tension pneumocephalus, Aqueduct, Posterior fossa surgery

Corresponding author : Burçak Bilginer, burcak@tr.net