✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
Clinicians prescribing prochlorperazine to postoperative mastoidectomy patients with vestibular dysfunction should be aware it can trigger atypical oculogyric crises that mimic horizontal gaze palsy, potentially leading to misdiagnosis.
This case highlights a rare but clinically significant drug-related adverse event in an otological surgery setting, underscoring the need for caution when using dopamine-blocking antiemetics in patients with concurrent vestibular pathology.
- 01Prochlorperazine (an antiemetic) caused an atypical oculogyric crisis in a post-mastoidectomy patient.
- 02The eye movement pattern mimicked horizontal gaze palsy, a rarer and more serious neurological sign.
- 03Patient had pre-existing vestibular dysfunction, which may have contributed to the atypical presentation.
- 04Case underscores risk of dopamine-blocking drugs in patients recovering from ear surgery.
- 05Reported as a case report in BMJ Case Reports.
Prochlorperazine therapy can induce an atypical oculogyric crisis mimicking horizontal gaze palsy in postoperative mastoidectomy patients with vestibular dysfunction.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42982484
- DOI
- 10.1136/bcr-2026-276286.
- Journal
- BMJ Case Reports
- Publication type
- case_report
- Evidence level
- 4
- Sample size
- 1
- Population
- Single postoperative mastoidectomy patient with vestibular dysfunction receiving prochlorperazine
- Intervention
- Prochlorperazine therapy for postoperative nausea/vestibular symptoms
Primary outcomes
Characterisation of atypical oculogyric crisis presentation mimicking horizontal gaze palsy