A Case of Wernicke’s Encephalopathy Induced by Pyloric Stenosis

Serkan Özben, Hüsniye Aylin Hakyemez, Hürtan Acar, Feriha Özer

Clinic Of Neurology, Haseki Training And Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

Keywords: Wernicke encephalopathy, pyloric stenosis, thiamine deficiency.

Abstract

Wernicke’s encephalopathy is a neurological syndrome that develops due to thiamine deficiency. Although it has a significantly high

mortality rate, it responds well to thiamine treatment, especially in its early stages. Because of its common association with alco-

holism and the fact that its clinical triad is seen in only a small portion of patients (10-20%), diagnosis is difficult, especially in cases

without a history of alcoholism. Herein we present a patient that drank bleach (sodium carbonate) in an effort to commit suicide and

developed pyloric stenosis, which was followed by confusion, ophthalmoparesis, and ataxia