Methohexitone-induced convulsions in epileptics.

The risk of precipitating a convulsion in epileptic patients with methohexitone has been judged to vary widely. This article reports such complications arising during methohexitone-activated E.E.G. recording in a series of 48 epileptic patients from whom anticonvulsant medication was withheld. Two patients developed grand mal convulsions during induction with methohexitone 1-0%. Two others exhibited status epilepticus of the petit mal type and one of the myoclonic type, after stopping an infusion of 0-09% methohexitone. The specificity for methohexitone-induced convulsions in epileptics or crypto-epileptics is supported by a review of the literature.