We report the case of a 53-year old woman who developed a neuromyelitis optica (NMO or Devic’s syndrome) after a spinal anaesthesia with bupivacaine. To our knowledge, the use of bupivacaine in human has not been associated to neurological complications like myelitis or NMO. The patho genesis of this complication will be discussed.
Van Dongen RT , van Ee R , Crul BJ.Neurological impairment during long-term intrathecal infusion of bupivacaine in cancer patients: a sign of spinal cord compression . Pain1997; 69: 205-209 .
2.
Johnson ME.Potential neurotoxicity of spinal anesthesia with lidocaine . Mayo Clin Proc2000; 75: 921-932 .
3.
Ganem EM , Vianna PT , Marques M , Castiglia YM , Vane LA.Neurotoxicty of subarachnoid hyperbaric bupivacaine in dogs . Reg Anesth1996; 21: 234-238 .
4.
Wingerchuk D , Hogancamp W , O’Brien P , Weinshenker BG.The clinical course of neuromyelitis optica (Devic’s syndrome) . Neurology1999; 53: 1107-1114 .
5.
O’Riordan JI , Gallagher HL , Thompson AJ , Howard RS , Kingsley DP , Thompson EJet al.Clinical, CSF, and MRI findings in Devic’s neuromyelitis optica . J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry1996; 60: 382-387
