Abstract
A 14-year-old female with severe status asthmaticus was treated with an inhalational anesthetic agent, isoflurane. The treatment resulted in successful remission, therefore it was discontinued after 68hr of inhalation and the total of 97 minimum-alveolar-concentration ·hour of isoflurane administration. However, she remained unconscious even more than 24hr after the cessasion of isoflurane. A computed tomography scan of brain revealed marked hypodensity in bilateral occipital regions, cerebellum, midbrain, and pons. Although these findings were consistent with basilar artery occlusion extensive investigations concerning coagualtion, brain vessels, and heart failed to identify the cause of infarction. We report a case of cerebral infarction and significant neurological deficits which were occured during isoflurane inhalation therapy. The cause is still unknown but we dare to warn that close observation is essential to prolonged anesthesia inhalation for asthmatic patients.
