Severe neuroexcitatory symptoms after anaesthesia - with focus on propofolanaesthesia

Delayed neuroexcitatory symptoms after an uneventful anaesthesia are uncomm on, although described in many reports. We want to report on two cases. The first patient developed muscle hypertonicity, jerky movements and unconsci ousness after an uneventful anaesthesia with propofol, and later the same t hing happened after anaesthesia with thiopentone. The second patient develo ped similar symptoms after an uneventful anaesthesia with propofol, but she never recovered completely after this and is now severely disabled. A sear ch of the literature and the Swedish adverse drug reactions register reveal ed many similar cases. In both our patients the causal relationship between propofol and the neuroexcitatory symptoms remains uncertain, but we want t o alert readers about this possible adverse reaction.