Surgical repair of humerus fracture in a patient with central pontine myelinolysis

Introduction Central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) is a rare neurologic disorder involving severe damage to the myelin sheath of nerve cells in the pons. Clinical features usually include tetraparesis, pseudobulbar palsy and altered mental status. Objective To review a case of humerus fracture in a female with CPM. Material and methods A 65-year-old patient with CPM sustained humerus fracture that was first treated conservatively. With two neurological examinations and a clinical case conference the humerus fracture of the high-risk patient was nailed. Results No neurological deterioration was observed postoperatively. A satisfactory bone alignment was noted radiologically. The patient was discharged from the hospital with a satisfactory outcome. Discussion The favorable outcome suggests that patients with CPM can benefit from surgical treatment. Conclusion CPM cannot be considered an absolute contraindication for surgical treatment, however, further study is required.