Central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) and extrapontine myelinolysis (EPM) following concurrent chemoradiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Abstract

Central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) is a disease that may present with coma, quadriplegia, or no symptoms at all. It is an iatrogenic demyelinating disease caused most frequently by overzealous correction of chronic hyponatremia and excessive swings in serum osmolality. Lesions can also occur outside the pons as extrapontine myelinolysis (EPM). Herein we have reported a case of CPM and EPM in a patient after chemoradiotherapy for recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Keywords

• Central pontine myelinosis
• Extrapontine myelinosis
• Nasopharyngeal carcinoma
• Hyponatremia
• Concurrent chemoradiotherapy