A Patient Who Developed Extrapyramidal Symptoms after Continuous Epidural Droperidol Administration But Not after Its Intravenous Administration

Abstract

Droperidol was administered in a 29-year-old ovarian carcinoma patient undergoing laparotomy under general anesthesia twice to prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting. For the first operation, in addition to intravenous single-dose administration during the operation（1.25 mg）, intravenous intermittent administration was performed using intravenous patient-controlled analgesia until postoperative day 3（total 10 mg）. For the second operation, intravenous single-dose administration during the operation（1.25 mg）and postoperative continuous epidural administration until postoperative day 2（total 3.53 mg）were performed. Extrapyramidal symptoms did not develop after the first operation but developed after the second operation. There is a possibility that epidural droperidol administration causes extrapyramidal symptoms at a dose lower than that for its intravenous administration.