Guillain-Barré syndrome in a patient with pancreatic cancer after an epidural-general anesthetic

Anesth Analg. 2005 Apr;100(4):1197-1199. doi: 10.1213/01.ANE.0000144826.77316.ED.

Abstract

Guillain-Barre syndrome is a rare occurrence in medicine and is probably rarer still as a postoperative complication. We report an uneventful operative course, during epidural-general anesthesia, in a patient undergoing pancreatectomy who presented with acute paralysis mimicking an acute cervical spinal cord syndrome or brachial plexus neuropathy. The signs and symptoms of right upper extremity paralysis occurred within 2 h postoperatively. Immediate work-up, which included magnetic resonance imaging, electromyography, and nerve conduction velocity studies, provided the diagnosis.

Publication types

  • Clinical Conference

MeSH terms

  • Anesthesia, Epidural*
  • Anesthesia, General*
  • Electromyography
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome / etiology*
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome / therapy
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neural Conduction
  • Neurologic Examination
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / complications*
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Paralysis / etiology
  • Physical Therapy Modalities
  • Postoperative Complications / diagnosis
  • Postoperative Complications / physiopathology*