[Myoclonus following spinal and epidural anesthesia--a case report]

We report a case of spinal myoclonus following cesarean section. The patient was a 34-year-old woman without history of neurologic disorders. In the operating room, after placement of an epidural catheter at T12-L1, bupivacaine 2.4 ml was administered intrathecally via a 25 G needle at L2-3. Epidural administration of ropivacaine (0.13%, 4 ml x hr(-1)) was started 72 min after spinal anesthesia. The intra- and postoperative courses were otherwise uneventful. The patient complained of involuntary jerky movements of her lower legs 195 min after the start of the spinal anesthesia. The sensory level was T12 and she could move her legs on command but could not stop her involuntary movements. The myoclonic movements ceased 150 min later without medication and did not reappear, despite restarting the epidural anesthesia with ropivacaine.