Leukemia & lymphoma
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Leukemia & lymphoma · Jul 1997
Case ReportsCoexistence of life threatening chemotherapy related leukoencephalopathy, saggital sinus thrombosis and multiple organ failure in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: an unusual case with clinical recovery.
A nine-year old girl with T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) had acute severe neurologic complications at the end of the remission-induction chemotherapy course. Thirty-six hours following triple intrathecal (IT) therapy and intravenous (IV) administration of L-asparaginase (L-asp), tetraplegia developed and she became unconscious. She had bouts of hypertension and persistent tachycardia unresponsive to digitalis therapy. ⋯ Despite, coexistence of all these chemotherapy related complications, her neurologic functions and multiple organ failure improved gradually. After a 70 days' period of interruption, chemotherapy was resumed and continued without any further complications. Although, the etiology of her extensive sensitivity to some drugs remains unclear, we believe that it is important to document these unusual events in this child.