Status epilepticus treated with a muscle relaxant: the first success.
In 1958, an 11-year-old girl with status epilepticus was given the current treatments which failed to control the convulsions. In order to stop the fits, protect the airway, prevent hypoxia and hyperpyrexia, intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) and complete muscle paralysis with d-tubocurarine was used for a total of 6 h. The girl made a complete recovery, the first patient to do so using this plan of action.
Gordon
I J
IJ
Whiston Hospital, Prescot, Merseyside. Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK. ijgord@cwcom.net
Nisbet
H I
HI
Jones
E S
ES
D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000266:history / Q000379:methods; D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central / Q000266:history* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents / Q000266:history* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000266:history*; D014403:Tubocurarine / Q000266:history* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; D014403:Tubocurarine