Open AccessNeuroleptic malignant syndrome: A diagnostic challenge
Author(s) -
Reshma Ambulkar,
Vijaya Patil,
Aliasgar Moiyadi
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of anaesthesiology-clinical pharmacology/journal of anaesthesiology clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.466
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 2231-2730
pISSN - 0970-9185
DOI - 10.4103/0970-9185.101946
Subject(s) - medicine , neuroleptic malignant syndrome , bromocriptine , dantrolene , carbamazepine , anesthesia , craniopharyngioma , pediatrics , surgery , psychiatry , epilepsy , prolactin , hormone , calcium
We report the case of a 7-year-old girl operated for craniopharyngioma who developed hyperkalemic cardiac arrest in the post-operative period. She was diagnosed as Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) and the causative drug was carbamazepine. It was essentially a diagnosis of exclusion, and treatment was mainly supportive in form of withdrawal of the neuroleptic medication (carbamazepine) and administration of dantrolene and bromocriptine. Although, relatively uncommon, NMS can be fatal. NMS presents a clinical challenge as the patient outcome depends on its prompt recognition and treatment.