Shakuyakukanzoto is effective for hiccups after acute subdural hematoma surgery

Abstract

An 80–year–old man was admitted to our hospital associated with impaired consciousness with untraumatic left acute subdural hematoma. The acute subdural hematoma was removed by craniotomy. After surgery, he became in a state of prolonged impaired consciousness and accompanied by persistent hiccups. While tube feeding was administered for nutritional management, sakuyakukanzoto (7.5 g/day) was administered for persistent hiccups. The fre­quency of hiccups immediately decreased by administration of shakuyaku­kanzoto, and on the third day of its administration, the hiccups disappeared, and the administration of shakuyakukanzoto was stopped. Even when the administration of shakuyakukanzoto was discontinued, recurrence of stut­tering was nothing. These findings suggest that sakuyakukanzoto should be effective for persistent hiccups after acute subdural hematoma surgery.