• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.250-252
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• 1999

A 77-year-old male patient was admitted to the hospital with acute appendicitis and underwent emergency appendectomy under inhalation anesthesia without any complications. After the operation, the patient was placed on epidural analgesia with the mixture of fentanyl-bupivacaine and scopolamine patch for nausea and vomiting. The patient experienced central anticholinergic syndrome (CAS) with hallucination, confusion, somnolence, dysarthria and delirium at 20 hours after patch placement and recovered from all symptoms of CAS in 24 hours after the removal of the patch. The CAS occurs when central cholinergic sites are occupied by specific drugs and also as a result of an insufficient release of acetylcholine. The diagnosis of CAS is often determined by a process of exclusion and not actually made until a positive therapeutic response to physostigmine, a centrally active anticholiesterase agent, has taken place. Treatment of CAS includes prompt removal of the patch, cleansing of the area, and physostigmine administration. The scopolamine patch should be used with extreme caution in elderly patient.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.86-96
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• 1996

The authors experienced 52 patients with myasthenia gravis who were diagnosed at the Department of Neurology, Yeungnarn University Hospital from August 1985 to January 1996. The following results were obtained through diagnostic evaluation and treatment. 1. The ratio of male to female was 1:1.7 and the most prevalent age group was second decade. 2. The most common initial presentation symptom was ocular(71.2%) and the peak incidence group was stage I (69.3%) according to the modified Osserman's classification. 3. In 16 patients(30.8%), it took more than a year to diagnose due to symptoms which were relapsed and remitting. 4. Of 52 patients, 2 cases were associated with thyroid disease(3.8%) and 2 with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus(3.8%). 5. All of those who received anticholinesterase and corticosteroid therapy were improved with the exception of 5 cases which were improved after thymectomy and/or plasmapheresis. 6. Spontaneous remission was occured in 2 cases(3.8%) of ocular myasthenia gravis. And 1 case of group II. was cured through thymectomy and long-term corticosteroid therapy.