digoxin and Status-Epilepticus

Intrathecal administration of digoxin occurs very rarely. Some case reports of inadvertently administering it when performing spinal/epidural anesthesia were described. We report for the first time a case of a chemical meningitis and status epilepticus caused by accidental epidural administration of digoxin. A 26-year-old female underwent epidural anesthesia for a planned cesarean section (CS). Post operatively the patient became lethargic, agitated and encephalopathic, she was intubated and transferred to our hospital intensive care unit (ICU). She had seizures on admission. Electroencephalogram (EEG) was performed and showed generalized slowing and status epilepticus with a focus noted in the right temporal region which resolved after antiepileptic medication administration. A lumbar puncture (LP) was performed; cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) was suggestive for meningitis. However, there was no evidence for viral or bacterial infections. Within a day of admission, the referring hospital informed us that the patient received 250 mcg of digoxininadvertently-through epidural injection. The patient remained intubated for four days. She became more responsive and alert and was eventually extubated. After extubation, the patient was responsive and full neurological exam and brain imaging were normal. She was discharged from the hospital after seven days.

Topics: Adult; Anesthesia, Epidural; Cesarean Section; Digoxin; Female; Humans; Meningitis; Pregnancy; Status Epilepticus

A 64-year-old man with transfusion-dependent myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypothyroidism, blindness from treated syphilitic chorioretinitis, and no prior seizure history presented in generalized status epilepticus. His daily home medication regimen included prednisone 20 mg (chronic therapy for MDS), diltiazem 120 mg, digoxin 250 μg, tiotropium 80 μg, and levothyroxine 112 μg. On admission he was febrile to 39.9 °C and in atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular rate. Initial hematologic profile showed 11,910 leukocytes/mm(3) (12% immature forms, 46% neutrophils, 32% lymphocytes), hematocrit of 30.8%, and platelet count of 215,000/mm(3), with an otherwise normal serum chemistry.

Topics: Aged; Digoxin; Diltiazem; Humans; Male; Risk Factors; Scopolamine Derivatives; Status Epilepticus; Tiotropium Bromide