Dantrolene for Control of Refractory Shivering in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Case Study

BACKGROUND Hyperthermia is strongly associated with a worse neurological outcome in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and can be exacerbated by shivering. However, effective treatments for uncontrolled shivering have yet to be established. We successfully treated a patient with severe TBI and repeated episodes of shivering using dantrolene sodium hydrate (dantrolene). CASE REPORT A 28-year-old healthy male sustained an acute subdural hematoma with a midline shift following a traffic accident. He underwent emergency evacuation of the hematoma and craniectomy and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. The patient experienced severe shivering on the first day of hospitalization. Neuroprotective drugs were administered, and targeted temperature management at normothermia was initiated, initially controlling the shivering. On day 9 of hospitalization, shivering recurred, with a high fever. Despite the reintroduction of general anesthesia and targeted temperature management, the shivering was intractable. We administered dantrolene, which successfully eliminated the shivering. After the intervention, the patient's body temperature and intracranial pressure were well managed. The patient was subsequently transferred to a rehabilitation hospital, with a favorable neurological outcome 70 days after the injury. CONCLUSIONS This case report demonstrates that dantrolene is an effective option for managing uncontrollable shivering in the context of intracranial pressure control after severe brain injury. This finding suggests the potential for the broader use of dantrolene in similar clinical scenarios and supports further investigation of its efficacy and mechanisms of action in TBI care.