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Prolonged postictal stupor: nonconvulsive status epilepticus, medication effect, or postictal state?

Langheinrich TC, Chattopadhyay A, Kuc S, Reuber M

Neurology, Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, Glossop Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S10 2JF, UK. tobias.langheinrich@sth.nhs.uk

We describe a patient who entered a stuporous state after receiving benzodiazepine treatment for generalized tonic-clonic status epilepticus. A diagnosis of generalized NCSE with tonic seizures was made on the basis of the clinical picture and response to barbiturate anaesthetic, although the EEG pattern was not typical of the changes previously described in tonic seizures-tonic status epilepticus. This report discusses the differential diagnosis of postictal stupor, nonconvulsive status epilepticus with tonic seizures and sedation caused by the emergency treatment of status epilepticus, and summarizes the literature on tonic seizures and tonic status epilepticus.

Published 28 October 2005 in Epilepsy Behav, 7(3): 548-51.
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