A case of reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome with acute hypotension

Reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome (RPLS) is theoretically associated with hypertensive encephalopathy because the most patients demonstrate abrupt increasing of blood pressure (BP). A 59-year-old woman, who had undergone cholecystectomy 4 days before, complained of a headache and rapidly progressing visual disturbance. Her BP was postoperatively controlled at around 150/80, but her BP was 89/46 when she noticed her symptoms. Magnetic resonance imaging showed vasogenic edema in bilateral occipital and right parietal lobes, and intracranial magnetic resonance angiography revealed bilateral diffuse peripheral vasoconstriction. After discontinuing ropivacaine administration via epidural catheter, her BP rose to 114/62 and her symptoms completely disappeared within a few days. Except for hypotension, the clinical course and the radiological evidences in our case were consistent with RPLE. This case supports another hypothesis of RPLS mechanism that arterial endothelial injury by toxic drug effect results in transudation of fluid from blood vessels causing vasogenic brain edema.