Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T07:24:21.307Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Bilateral pneumothoraces and pneumomediastinum complicating a generalized tonic-clonic seizure

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 May 2015

Helen Curran  and
John Ross
Helen Curran
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
John Ross*
Affiliation:
Emergency Department, QEII Health Sciences Centre & Capital District Health Authority, Halifax, NS, and the Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
*
Emergency Department, QEII Health Sciences Centre & Capital District Health Authority, Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Rm 3021, 1796 Summer St., Halifax NS B3H 3A7; [email protected]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Patients often present to the emergency department following a generalized tonic-clonic seizure, particularly of new onset. Complications associated with seizures usually arise from injuries sustained from loss of consciousness or during convulsive activity. This report describes a patient with an idiopathic seizure who developed postictal alveolar edema and delayed bilateral pneumothoraces and pneumomediastinum. A literature search revealed only 1 other case of this potentially life-threatening pulmonary complication from seizures.

Keywords

seizurepneumothoraxneurogenic pulmonary edema
Type
Case Report • Rapport de cas
Information
Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine , Volume 10 , Issue 2 , March 2008 , pp. 176 - 178
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians 2008

References

1.Schachter, SC. Evaluation of the first seizure in adults. UpToDate. 2005: 1–12.Google Scholar
2.Zwimpfer, TJ, Brown, J, Sullivan, I, et al. Head injuries due to falls caused by seizures: a group at high risk for traumatic intracranial hematomas. J Neurosurg 1997;86:433–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Kirby, S, Sadler, RM. Injury and death as a result of seizures. Epilepsia 1995;36:25–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Bekemeyer, WB, Pinstein, ML. Neurogenic pulmonary edema:new concepts of an old disorder. South Med J 1989;82:380–3.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Darnell, JC, Jay, S. Recurrent postictal pulmonary edema: a case report and review of the literature. Epilepsia 1982;23:71–83.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Drislane, FW, Mandel, J. Neurogenic pulmonary edema. UpToDate. 2005; 1–7.Google Scholar
7.Ell, SR. Neurogenic pulmonary edema. A review of the literature and a perspective. Invest Radiol 1991;26:499–506.Google Scholar
8.Light, RW. Primary spontaneous pneumothorax in adults. UpToDate. 2005: 1–5.Google Scholar
9.Gupta, D, Hansell, A, Nichols, T, et al. Epidemiology of pneumothorax in England. Thorax 2000;55:666–71.Google Scholar
10.Perrotin, D, Ged, E, Belin, T, et al. Bilateral pneumothorax complicating a convulsive crisis. Presse Med 1987;16:964–5.Google ScholarPubMed
11.Johnston, SC, Darragh, TM, Simon, RP. Postictal pulmonary edema requires pulmonary vascular pressure increases. Epilepsia 1996;37:428–32.Google Scholar
12.Simon, RP. Neurogenic pulmonary edema. Neurol Clin 1993;11:309–23.Google Scholar