Quadriplegia e afonia após punção epidural: relato de caso / Quadriplegia and aphonia after epidural puncture: a case report

Justificativa e objetivos: complicações de anestesia epidural são pouco frequentes, principalmente aquelas que levam à perda de funções sensoriais com envolvimento de áreas cognitivas. Diversas hipóteses podem ser aventadas, entretanto, não se pode afirmar com exatidão o diagnóstico que levou ao transcurso clínico. Medidas simples e eficazes odem contornar a intercorrência com segurança. Relato do caso: paciente de 36 anos ASA I, submeteu-se à anestesia epidural para procedimento em membro inferior D, desenvolveu após 15 min quadriplegia e afonia, com agitação moderada. (AU)

Justification and objectives: Complications upon epidural anesthesia are rare, specially those leading to loss of sensory functions and compromise of cognitive areas. Several hypotheses can be formulated, but no diagnosis is precise enough to explain the cause of such incidences. Simple and efficient measures may help overcome the intercurrence safely. Case report: A 36-year-old ASA I patient that had epidural anesthesia applied for a procedure in the right lower limb developed quadriplegia and aphonia with mild agitation upon 15 minutes.(AU)

Locked-in syndrome: A rare manifestation of pediatric stroke.

Locked-in syndrome is characterized by upper motor neuron quadriplegia, paralysis of lower cranial nerves, bilateral horizontal gaze palsy and anarthria, with preserved consciousness. It is due to a ventral pontine lesion following a basilar artery occlusion. We report the first Indian case report of locked-in syndrome, a 10-year old girl in whom the syndome was preceded by a ‘herald hemiparesis’. Although the exact etiology for the basilar artery occlusion could not be determined, treatment with low molecular weight heparin and warfarin was followed by partial recovery.

Locked-in syndrome in snakebite.

Two young patients are described who made complete recovery from locked-in syndrome (LIS) after snakebites. LIS was a presenting feature in a patient of presumed snake bite who showed complete response to polyvalent Anti-snake venom (ASV). This case suggests that elapid snake bite should be suspected in unresponsive patient found in early morning in endemic areas of snake bite in monsoon season. The second case was admitted in complete LIS state with history of rapidly progressive ptosis, diplopia, ophthalmoplegia, bulbar symptoms and quadriparesis, 6 hours after snake bite. Complete improvement by ASV in second patient highlights the need of differentiation of complete LIS from coma and brain death in patient of snake bite, as former have good prognosis.

Biotin responsive limb weakness.

We report acute onset quadriplegia in a ten year old boy associated with basal ganglia lesions due to biotin deficiency. Prolonged raw egg consumption was identified as predisposing factor for biotin deficiency. Treatment with biotin resulted in remarkable recovery.

Dopa-responsive dystonia (Segawa syndrome).

A 12 year old boy with gradually worsening global developmental delay was diagnosed and managed as quadriplegic cerebral palsy since child-hood. Subsequent evaluation revealed marked dystonia over spasticity leading to suspicion of Segawa syndrome. Dramatic improvement in clinical condition followed after therapy with low dose L-Dopa.