Management of posterior reversible syndrome in preeclamptic women.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a neurological syndrome associated with a number of conditions including preeclampsia. It is characterized by seizures, alteration of consciousness, visual disturbances, and symmetric white matter abnormalities, typically in the posterior parietooccipital regions of the cerebral hemispheres, at computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MRI). We report three new cases of PRES in preeclamptic patients and describe the management of these patients. We present a brief review of other cases in the literature, with particular attention to the anesthetic management.

The use of mannitol in intracerebral bleeds in the medical ICU.

To determine the effects of mannitol osmotherapy, we reviewed patients admitted to the intensive care unit with a presumptive diagnosis of increased intracranial pressure. The conclusion from our 20-patient study revealed no significant therapeutic benefit using mannitol osmotherapy.