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Case Reports
. 2025 Apr-Jun;15(2):132-135.
doi: 10.4103/ijabmr.ijabmr_513_24. Epub 2025 Apr 7.

The Unspoken Danger of the Mount Fuji Sign Leading to Sudden Death

Affiliations
Case Reports

The Unspoken Danger of the Mount Fuji Sign Leading to Sudden Death

Sarjana Singh et al. Int J Appl Basic Med Res. 2025 Apr-Jun.

Abstract

Traumatic pneumocephalus is not an unusual entity. Mostly, such cases are managed according to the patient's neurological status, guided by computed tomography (CT) imaging, and the patient responds well to conservative treatment. However, it seldom progresses to tension pneumocephalus, and if it does along with deterioration of the neurological condition, then neurosurgical intervention becomes necessary. On CT, its appearance is named "Mount Fuji" sign. The most widely documented peril involves increased intracranial pressure causing mass effect and, in some cases, cerebral herniation. However, one unspoken aspect leading to sudden death is seizure. We report the case of a 52-year-old male, admitted after vehicular accident responding well to the conservative treatment along with resolution of tension pneumocephalus. However, he developed generalized tonic-clonic seizures leading to sudden death. Through this case report, we will be discussing the association of pneumocephalus with seizures and seizures leading to sudden death.

Keywords: Head injury; Mount Fuji sign; pneumocephalus; seizure; sudden death.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Fractures of the base of the skull (Arrows indicate fracture points), (b) Flattening of the external contour of cerebral convexities, the Mount Fuji sign, in the bilateral anterior frontal region
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a-c) Change in volume of air in consecutive noncontrast computed tomography of the head. AP: Anteroposterior dimension; CC: Cranial caudal dimension; NCCT: Noncontrast computed tomography
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Flattening of external contours of the cerebral convexities involving both anterior frontal and left temporal lobes, with a thin layer of seroma over the left parietotemporal region, (b) Subarachnoid hemorrhage over the cerebellum, (c) Contusion over the right temporal lobe

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