Cerebral Salt Wasting Syndrome in the Setting of Hypovolemic Isotonic Hyponatremia: A Case Report

Cerebral salt wasting syndrome (CSWS) is a condition characterized as the loss of sodium secondarily due to an intracranial process, commonly following the neurosurgical resection of mass lesions. This condition leads to a hypovolemic hypotonic hyponatremia. The identification of this syndrome is often mistaken for syndrome of inappropriate anti-diuretic hormone (SIADH). The treatment for both conditions is vastly different. Given the risk of mortality when balancing sensitivities in hyponatremia and its commonality in clinical scenarios, a distinction is crucial. In this case report, we discuss a patient who presented with CSWS following the surgical resection of a pituitary adenoma. She subsequently developed hypernatremia, treated with DDAVP for the suspicion of diabetes insipidus. Once this was discontinued, she further presented with worsening hyponatremia. This hyponatremia persisted even after the discontinuation of DDAVP, with no significant intervention leading to hypovolemic isotonic hyponatremia, supporting a diagnosis of CSWS. Our findings stress the importance of the proper identification of hyponatremia with guided treatment following neurosurgical intervention and give physicians an insight into the anomalies of hyponatremia that should be further discussed.