The reversal of a state of impaired consciousness in a known epileptic following a period of prolonged post-ictal unconsciousness (with flexor response to nociceptive stimuli) was achieved by use of 0-4 mg naloxone intravenously. This decision was based on the similarity of the individuals clinical presentation to that seen in cases of opiate overdose. The implications of this dnimatic clinical intervention are discussed. I
CASE REPORTThe patient is a 20-year-old male with profound mental handicap, grand mal epilepsy and ataxic cerebral palsy. He was born following a prolonged second stage of labour, in a delivery requiring the use of forceps, and was the second of non-identical twins. At the birth, it was felt that neonatal hypoxia might have occurred, resulting in diffuse brain damage. The twin sister suffers no mental handicap, nor do his four siblings. There is no history of handicap in the family. The patient developed his first fit at age 4 months, 2 weeks after receiving a pertussis vaccination.On the occasion prompting this report, the patient was found unrousable; neurological examination revealed him to be unconscious, with pin-point pupils and responding to nociceptive stimuli by flexion (Glasgow Coma Scale 3/14). He had brisk symmetrical reflexes with bilateral extensor plantars. Additionally, the patient revealed marked hypotension of 80/40, a bradycardia of 45 beats per min and shallow respiration of 15 breaths per min. He was judged to have sustained a grand mal seizure. The patient had previously been extensively investigated including repeated electroencephalograms showing 'considerable global dysrhythmia suggestive of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome' (a diagnosis based on a characteristic EEG trace, similar to petit mal epilepsy, Laidlaw & Richens, 1982). There had also been repeated CAT scanning which had demonstrated no evidence of intracranial trauma, normal ventricular systems with no cortical abnormahty. He had had three CAT scans performed as a result of previous episodes similar to that described when a head injury was feared responsible for the sustained loss of consciousness.