title: [Catatonic syndrome after single low dose of droperidol].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients find postoperative nausea and vomiting extremely unpleasant. If nausea persists despite initial treatment, droperidol, a butyrophenone with anti-dopaminergic activity, can be very effective. Side-effects, albeit rare, can occur and are potentially serious.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 75-year-old postoperative patient was given a single low dose of droperidol to treat persistent nausea. Subsequently, the patient developed catatonic syndrome. The psychiatrist treated the patient with benzodiazepine and electroconvulsive therapy. Within four weeks the patient had completely recovered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Catatonic syndrome is a serious condition; morbidity and mortality are mainly influenced by disease duration and early initiation of appropriate treatment. Physicians are not familiar with this syndrome. Since other syndromes and diseases may display similar symptoms, the condition is difficult to diagnose. Even after a single, low dose of droperidol, patients can be at risk of developing catatonic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: UMCG, afd. Anesthesiologie, Groningen.
authors.forename: Martijn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brakman
authors.forename: Paula J M
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: de Graaff
authors.forename: Emelie C A L
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Visser
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002389:Catatonia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000628:therapy; D004329:Droperidol / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020250:Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting / Q000188:drug therapy; D013577:Syndrome
chemical_list: D000932:Antiemetics; D004329:Droperidol