Citation

Anselmo M, Campos Rainho A, do Carmo Vale M, Estrada J, Valente R, Correia M, Vieira JP, Barata D. J. Child Neurol. 2006; 21(7): 618-620.

Affiliation

Intensive Care Unit, Hospital de Dona Estefania, Lisbon, Portugal.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16970857

Abstract

Methadone is used in the treatment of opioid addiction. Acute intoxication can lead to severe consequences and can even be lethal. In several case reports and small series, a presumably toxic leukoencephalopathy is described resulting from inhalation of heroin. We present the case of a 3-year-old boy who ingested methadone accidentally. In a coma with acute obstructive hydrocephalus owing to massive cerebellar edema and supratentorial lesions, he was successfully treated with methylprednisolone and cerebrospinal fluid external drainage. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an encephalopathy associated with synthetic opioid intoxication.

Language: en