General Anesthetic Management of a Patient With Kleine-Levin Syndrome

Kleine-Levin syndrome (KLS) is a rare sleep disorder characterized by periodic hypersomnia and behavioral or cognitive disturbances. Although prolonged emergence from general anesthesia and postoperative hypersomnia may occur in a patient with KLS, there is little information about the safe anesthetic management of these patients. We describe the case of a 22-year-old female previously diagnosed with KLS who was scheduled to have her third molars extracted under general anesthesia. Because the patient had symptoms of periodic hypersomnia and hyperphagia, the surgery was scheduled during a KLS crisis interval. General anesthesia was induced with propofol, remifentanil, and rocuronium, and maintained with desflurane and remifentanil. To prevent overuse of anesthetic agents, an electroencephalogram (EEG)-based depth of anesthesia monitor (SedLine; Masimo Corporation) was used intraoperatively. A neuromuscular monitor was also used to carefully titrate use of a neuromuscular blocking agent. After surgery, sugammadex was administered, and the patient quickly emerged within 10 minutes, as also confirmed by the EEG monitor. She had no KLS recurrence postoperatively. When anesthetizing patients with KLS, an EEG-based depth of anesthesia monitor and neuromuscular monitor may be warranted to ensure complete emergence from general anesthesia. In addition, elective surgery should be planned during crises intervals.