Acute Necrotizing Encephalopathy in Children: A Case Report in Barranquilla-Colombia

Abstract

Acute necrotizing encephalopathy is a rapidly progressive disease of the central nervous system that is generally described in texts as a pathology of pediatric patients, but even in people of this age range, it is rare to find a case of this disease, which presents with a fulminant tissue necrosis and can be secondary to infections, mainly of viral origin. Due to presenting very non-specific clinical manifestations, this diagnosis often goes unnoticed or is made late. ANE survivors go through three phases during the clinical course that include the prodromal stage, the period of acute encephalopathy, and the recovery stage. It is through specific radiological findings observed on computed tomography affecting the bilateral thalamus and possibly the cerebral white matter, brainstem, or cerebellum that the diagnosis can be confirmed. This report discusses the case of an 8-year-old schoolboy who begins with acute gastroenteritis, which progresses with seizures and neurological deterioration. A skull CT scan is performed with imaging findings suggestive of acute necrotizing encephalopathy. Management is established with adequate clinical response and favorable recovery of neurological symptoms. The clinical characteristics and radiological findings are the key to facilitating an early diagnosis, reducing sequelae and improving the prognosis, which provides a chance of life to people who suffer from this condition.