Generalized dystonia following resuscitation from a cardiac arrest: a case report and review of the literature

Background A wide variety of movement disorders can be observed after cerebral hypoxia, including akineto-hypertonic syndrome and dystonia. Post-anoxic dystonia is a rare clinical syndrome that is not widely reported in the literatures. It is thought to be related to cerebral hypoxia leading to ischaemia of the basal ganglia. Case description We report a case of an 11-year-old girl who represented with generalized dystonia following resuscitation from a cardiac arrest after open heart surgery. Brain MRI showed basal ganglia hypersignals in T2-FLAIR (fluid attenuated inversion recovery) weighted sequence and in the diffusion sequence without restriction of ACD in favour of subacute ischemic lesions. Treated with oral baclofen, the evolution was favourable with regression of the dystonia. Conclusion It is often difficult to accurately predict the final neurological outcome of a patient who has survived cardiac arrest. Baclofen and anticholinergic can be used for the treatment for dystonia post-cerebral hypoxia.