cafedrine--theodrenaline-drug-combination and Mydriasis

We present a 72 year old patient who underwent an esophagectomy uneventfully. At the end of the procedure the anaesthetist diagnosed a mydriasis not reacting to light. The mydriasis lasted for 3 hours. 30 minutes after diagnosis a cranial computed tomography scan showed no abnormalities. The tracheal tube was removed after 16 h of artificial ventilation, the patient was awake and responded to questions. The neurological examination was normal, as well as the control CT scan. With regard to a mydriasis the following differential diagnosis have to be considered: cerebral ischemia, cerebral hematoma, metabolic encephalopathy, shock, and a drug side effect. We state that an alpha-mimetic effect of the drug mixture Akrinor, the patient had received shortly before diagnosis of the mydriasis, is the most likely explanation. One 2 mls syringe contents of 200 mg norephedrine-ethyl-theophylline and 10 mg noradrenaline-ethyl-theophylline.

Topics: Aged; Central Nervous System Stimulants; Diagnosis, Differential; Drug Combinations; Esophagectomy; Humans; Light; Male; Mydriasis; Respiration, Artificial; Theophylline; Tomography, X-Ray Computed