USE OF SINEMET IN LOCKED-IN SYNDROME - A REPORT OF 2 CASES

Locked-in syndrome describes a neurological condition usually associat ed with infarction of the ventral pons. Such patients are diagnosed wi th quadriplegia, lower cranial nerve paralysis, and mutism. The patien t is alert but communication is severely limited and usually is accomp lished by blinking or using vertical eye movements. The rehabilitative management of locked-in syndrome has consisted of preventative and su pportive measures. In this study we report two cases of locked-in synd rome which were treated successfully with Sinemet (DuPont Pharmaceutic als, Wilmington, DE). Even though the exact neuropharmacological mecha nism is unclear, the dramatic improvement in these cases, as well as i n one other published case report, dictates that use of Sinemet should be considered in the management of locked-in syndrome. (C) 1995 by th e American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academ y of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation