Status Dystonicus as an Acute Sequelae Following Anoxic Cerebral Damage.

BACKGROUND

Status dystonicus (SD) is the term used for extreme, continuous, generalized muscle contractions that are poorly responsive to treatment. Here, we report a rare case of acute hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy presenting with SD.

CASE REPORT: A young male sustained cerebral hypoxia following a cardiac event and presented with opisthotonic posturing and dystonia refractory to medical therapy. His serum creatine phosphokinase was high and his urine tested positive for myoglobin.

DISCUSSION: SD as an acute sequelae following acute brain hypoxia is rare. Management of brain anoxia is challenging, even more so when the presentation is compounded by refractory SD.