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Temporary stupor in a patient treated with iodoform gauze for mediastinitis after coronary artery bypass grafting

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kyoto First Red Cross Hospital, Higashiyama, Kyoto 605-0981, Japan

^* Corresponding author. Tel.: +81-75-561-1121; fax: +81-75-561-6308
satnumata{at}yahoo.co.jp

Irrigation and packing with iodoform gauze are often employed for the treatment of mediastinitis after heart surgery. Using this procedure we experienced a case of a patient, who suffered from iodine toxicity. The patient was a 78-year-old male who underwent off-pump coronary artery grafting, using bilateral internal mammary artery. He suffered from mediastinitis and was treated with irrigation and packing with iodoform gauze. The patient gradually entered into a stupor. Brain computed tomography revealed no abnormal findings. However, the serum iodine concentration was significantly high. Therefore, we stopped the iodoform gauze packing, and the neurological findings improved as the serum iodine concentration decreased.

Key Words: Iodine toxicity; Mediastinitis; Stupor