What Should Be Considered to Cause the Early Post-Craniotomy Seizure: Antibiotics (Cefazolin) Irrigation

Prophylactic antibiotics induce early postcraniotomy seizures in neurosurgery patients: A case series

RATIONALE

Antibiotics can cause central nervous system disturbances, manifesting as dizziness, confusion, headache, and seizures. Seizures due to antibiotic administration are related to increased excitatory neurotransmission because antibiotics act as competitive antagonists of the γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor.

PATIENT CONCERNS AND CLINICAL FINDINGS

All 5 patients, comprising 4 females and one male and aged 45 to 72 years, underwent open craniotomy with additional surgical maneuvers according to their specific disease. All patients presented American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status grades 1 to 2. There were no specific underlying diseases, except hepatitis C and hypertension. However, seizures developed sequentially in the 5 patients after neurosurgery.

DIAGNOSES, INTERVENTIONS, AND OUTCOMES

Early postcraniotomy seizures (PCS) developed in the patients after neurosurgery. Prophylactic antibiotics were administered in all cases to prevent infection due to open craniotomy. This included the administration of 10 g and 2 g of an antibiotic (cefotiam HCL; Jetiam Intravenous Injection 1g®) an hour before the surgery in the ward and half an hour before the surgery in the operating room, respectively. After surgery, cefotiam HCL 2 g was administered in all patients on the day of surgery. Five patients had myoclonic seizure or generalized tonic-clonic seizure several times at emergence or in the intensive care unit.

LESSONS

Early PCS occurred in every patient when an overdose of the prophylactic antibiotic was administered. This report showed that the preoperative prophylactic antibiotic cefotiam administered in double doses evoked early PCS within a few hours of drug administration. Furthermore, such experiences caution that preoperative intravenous cephalosporins, including cefotiam, should be administered carefully in open craniotomy.

Antimicrobial safety considerations in critically ill patients: part II: focused on anti-microbial toxicities

INTRODUCTION

Antibiotic prescription is a challenging issue in critical care settings. Different pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, polypharmacy, drug interactions, and high incidence of multidrug-resistant microorganisms in this population can influence the selection, safety, and efficacy of prescribed antibiotics.

AREAS COVERED

In the current article we searched PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar for neurotoxicities, hematologic toxicity and fluid stewardship in intensive care units.

EXPERT OPINION

Critically ill patients who receive antimicrobial agents should be monitored for neurological, hematologic toxicities especially seizure, thrombocytopenia, and clostridioides infections. Other toxicities including QTc prolongation, electrolyte disturbances, liver enzyme elevation, and infusion-related reactions were being considered. Other changes, including fluid overload, hypoalbuminemia, augmented renal clearance, increased cardiac outputs in septic shock, and acute kidney injury, may influence treatment efficiency and patient outcome.