A Case of Autoimmune Encephalitis with Refractory Status Epilepticus

Abstract

Refractory status epilepticus is usually caused by a severe brain injury and has a high rate of mortality and morbidity despite the infusion of antiepileptic drugs and anesthetic agents. Autoimmune encephalitis is one cause of refractory status epilepticus and status epilepticus may be the initial symptom. The seizures are generally resistant to standard treatment and may require immunotherapeutics. This is a description of a patient who had refractory status epilepticus despite appropriate doses of antiepileptic and general anesthetic drugs, but responded to intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. Examinations revealed an ovarian teratoma with a negative serum N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antibody.

Keywords

• immunotherapy
• intravenous immunoglobulin
• pareneoplastic limbic encephalitis
• status epilepticus