J Korean Pain Soc.  2004 Dec;17(2):255-258. 10.3344/jkps.2004.17.2.255.

Delirium during the Treatment of Postherpetic Neuralgia: A case report

• Yu SB
• Shin SW
• Baek SH
• Kim CH
• Kim KH
• Kim HK

• KMID: 2104866
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3344/jkps.2004.17.2.255

Abstract

Postherpetic neuralgia is sequelae to a herpes zoster infection. It represents with intractable burning pain, allodynia and paroxysmal lancinating pain. Although various therapeutic modalities have been applied to relieve these pains, no definite remedies have been established. Herein is report a patient with postherpetic neuralgia, treated with combination drug therapy; intravenous ketamine, oral dextromethorphan, anticonvulsant, antidepressant, opioid and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. He developed sudden delirium after the third administration of intravenous ketamine, and required 5 days hospitalization to recover from his symptom. Furthermore, he was accidentally found to have an arterial aneurysm of his left middle cerebral artery, which had unruptured.

Keyword

amitriptyline; delirium; dextromethorphan; ketamine; postherpetic neuralgia

MeSH Terms

Amitriptyline
Aneurysm
Burns
Delirium*
Dextromethorphan
Drug Therapy, Combination
Herpes Zoster
Hospitalization
Humans
Hyperalgesia
Ketamine
Middle Cerebral Artery
Neuralgia, Postherpetic*
Amitriptyline
Dextromethorphan
Ketamine