[Fatal central nervous system hemorrhage during acute lymphoblastic leukemia induction]

Intracranial Hemorrhage Following Oral Low-Dose Methotrexate After Multiple Toxicities Caused by High-Dose Methotrexate in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

An 11-year-old male patient with the deletion of IKZF1 (Ikaros family zinc finger 1) and positive Breakpoint Cluster Region-C-Abelson oncogene 1(BCR-ABL1) acute lymphoblastic leukemia developed mucositis, gastrointestinal toxicity, hepatotoxicity, myelosuppression, and severe dermatologic toxicity during the first and second courses of high-dose methotrexate. The patient recovered completely after therapy. However, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) occurred following oral methotrexate at a dose of 25 mg/m² in maintenance treatment, and he had neurological sequelae including hemiplegic paralysis.

Damage control surgery in intracerebral hemorrhage in acute leukemia: a review of two cases

INTRODUCTION

Intracerebral hemorrhage is the second most common cause of mortality (after infections) in acute leukemia and is responsible for approximately 20% of deaths due to acute leukemia. Management of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is mostly conservative but there exist certain patients who need emergent surgery due to the poor Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) despite their coagulopathic state.

CASE REPORT

We present here two such cases which were successfully managed with decompressive craniectomy which was done as a damage control surgery thus stating the importance of surgical intervention in the management of acutely deteriorating patients rather than the commonly employed conservative management due to their coagulopathic state.