Can subdural hematoma be a trigger for Guillain-Barré syndrome?

Nilgul Yardimci, Salih Gulsen, Aynur Yilmaz Avci, Nur Altinors, Turgut Zileli, Ufuk Can

Index: Int. J. Neurosci. 119(3) , 366-72, (2009)

Full Text: HTML

Abstract

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute inflammatory polyneuropathy which follows a precipitating event in approximately two thirds of cases. Although its pathogenesis is unclear, it is likely to be a consequence of an immune-mediated process. In the literature there are three case reports of GBS following subarachnoid hemorrhage, subdural hematoma, and facial bone fracture after head trauma.The unique feature of our case with GBS after subdural hematoma is the presence of cerebellar symptoms. We believe that GBS results from an aberrant immune response following trauma that somehow mistakenly attacks the nerve tissue of its host, and we discuss the effects of the trauma of head injury on cellular and humoral immunities and the absence of antiganglioside antibody (anti-GD1b IgG, which is accused of ataxia and cerebellar symptoms) in this case report.