A case of high altitude pulmonary edema followed by brain computerized tomography and electroencephalogram

A case of high altitude pulmonary edema with high altitude cerebral edema was reported. A young Japanese male complained of severe palpitation and shortness of breath on the third day of climbing at 3,000 m above sea level. During the next 2 d at altitude, the following symptoms occurred: cough with foamy sputum, cyanosis, and loss of consciousness. Soon after evacuation, he showed severe hypoxemia and deep coma with decerebrate rigidity; electroencephalogram showed diffuse alpha waves, indicating "alpha wave coma." Brain computerized tomography revealed brain edema, showing small compressed ventricles and diffuse low density of the cerebrum. Pulmonary edema on chest roentgenogram disappeared by the fifth hospital day, and his consciousness recovered gradually during the next 2 weeks after the admission. He was examined serially by electroencephalography and brain computerized tomography. He recovered fully, but there were transient psychological abnormalities soon after discharge and mild brain atrophy was observed by brain computerized tomography 6 years later.