Hanging-induced status epilepticus

Survival from hanging is associated with a variety of neuropsychiatric cons equences, including amnesia, localized muscle spasms, transient hemiplegla, central cord syndrome, and multiple transient neurologic findings. This re port describes a near hanging episode in a patient who subsequently had sta tus epilepticus requiring 40 mg of diazepam and 1,200 mg of phenytoin for c ontrol in the prehospital and emergency department stabilization period. Th is is the first well-documented report of hanging with subsequent status ep ilepticus in an adult. The patient survived with an abnormal electroencepha logram consistent with anoxic injury and was discharged on anticonvulsant t herapy, although the rationale for medication in such patients is unclear a nd requires further study. Copyright (C) 1999 by W.B. Saunders Company.