[Propofol was useful for intractable convulsion in a patient with tetanus: a case report].

An 82-year-old woman with severe tetanus was admitted to our ICU. Anti-convulsive treatment was started by continuous intravenous administration of midazolam followed by thiamylal. On day 15, thiamylal became insufficient to manage the spastic convulsion without frequent intravenous administration of other sedative and muscle relaxants. On day 16, intravenous infusion of propofol was started at the rate of 1 mg.kg-1.h-1. Propofol was more effective than thiamylal to treat convulsion and to stabilize the sympathetic nerve activity. Propofol was also effective to achieve the better general condition in which enteral nutrition could be started. In this case, propofol was apparently more suitable than thiamylal to manage a patient with tetanic convulsion.