Cerebellar atrophy after acute phenytoin intoxication.

There is some evidence that long-term phenytoin (PHT) use may occasionally give rise to irreversible cerebellar atrophy, but it is unclear whether such changes can occur after acute PHT intoxication. We describe a 38-year-old patient with accidental acute PHT overdose who developed severe cerebellar atrophy. This case provides evidence that acute PHT intoxication can, on rare occasions, result in irreversible cerebellar degeneration.