A Case of Methanol Intoxication with Bulbar Palsy and Abnormal ?Brain CT Scans

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 6(2); 1988 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 1988;6(2): 306-312.

구마비와 특징적 CT소견을 보인 Methanol중독 1예

선일주, 조필자,선우일남

국립의료원 신경과. 연세대학교 신경과.

A Case of Methanol Intoxication with Bulbar Palsy and Abnormal ?Brain CT Scans

Il-Ju Sun,M.D., Phil Ja Cho,M.D., Il-Nam Sunwoo,M.D.

Department of Neurology, National medical Center Department of Neurology, college of Medicine, Yonsei University

Abstract

Blindness or serious visual impairment is a common and well known sequela of methanol intoxication in man, while other manifestations such as focal neurological deficits and abnormal brain CT scan are reported rarely. We experienced a case of acute methanol intoxication, which showed not only visual impairment but also bulbar symptoms and characteristic bilateral symmetrical hypodensity area in basal ganglia, especially putamen on brain CT scan. We tried 'pulse therapy'-continuouis dripping of methyl prednisolone (Solumedrol 1gm/day) for 5 days-with transient improvement of visual impairment, but bulbar symptoms were stationary. One month later, visual impairment was recurred, and the 'pulse therapy' was tried again but without benefit. On follow-up brain CT scan, the size of previous hypodensity area in basal ganglia was decreased.