Guillain-Barre syndrome following total gastrectomy/esophagectomy: A very rare and dramatic post-operative complication with a favourable outcome.

摘要

A 50-year-old patient was admitted for surgical management of cancer of gastric cardia. His past medical history and preopera-tive clinical examination were unremarkable. He underwent gastroesophagectomy/splenectomy. Post-operative course was uneventful. Seven days after discharge, the patient was admitted to the emergency department with acute respiratory distress, reporting a progressively aggravating muscular weakness. He was intubated and supported by mechanical ventilation. Clinicolaboratory/imaging evaluation showed diffuse lung inflammation. Neurological evaluation showed weaknesses of upper and lower extremities and repeal of tendons reflexes. Based on this clinical presentation and cele-brospinal fluid examination, the diagnosis of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) was established. The patient remained intubated for 3 weeks. After extubation, intensive physiotherapy was performed for the next 2 months. About 3.5 months after his admission to the ICU, the patient showed an almost complete improvement, proved with electomyograph and neurophysiologic examination, and he returned to his normal activities.