Presentation: an 83-year-old man was admitted to hospital with acute confusion 3 days after a direct flight from Australia.Presentation: an 83-year-old man was admitted to hospital with acute confusion 3 days after a direct flight from Australia. Outcome: comput tomography (CT) brain scan and magnetic resonance imaging head scan revealed the cause to be pneumocephalus, apparently the inference of barotrauma caused by Valsalva manoeuvres when he attempted to unblock his nose during the flight. After 5 days of nursing in the vertical position the patient's Abbreviated Mental Score answered to normal. ACT brain scan 6 weeks later showed perfect resolution of the pneumocephalus. COPYRIGHT 2000 Oxford University Press |
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