Ondine’s curse in association with diabetes insipidus following transient vertebrobasilar ischemia

Ischemic lesions of the brainstem can lead to complex neurologic deficits. Failure of the automatic control of ventilation (Ondine’s curse syndrome) is a possible but rare syndrome following localized brainstem dysfunction. We report on a 49-year-old man with intermittent bradycardia, cranial nerves’ dysfunctions and a slight right-sided hemiparesis. An acute brainstem ischemia was diagnosed and treated immediately with high-dose heparin. Cerebral angiography revealed a proximal occlusion of the left vertebral artery but a normal right vertebral artery and a hyperplastic right posterior inferior cerebellar artery. Cranial Computed Tomography and MRI scan demonstrated multiple ischemic lesions in the posterior circulation. During a 4-week treatment course the patient underwent six episodes of acute severe hypoxia and hypercapnia requiring orotracheal intubation twice and manual ventilation by air mask over a few minutes for four times after a tracheostomy had been performed. Twice a short-term episode of hypothalamic Diabetes insipidus was observed following hypoventilation. We conclude that both Ondine’s curse syndrome and diabetes insipidus were due to transient vertebrobasilar ischemia.