Abstract
We report a case of a previously unreported complication of an intracranial Ommaya
reservoir catheter causing par-oxysmal episodes of bradycardia-asystole and syncope
as a result of migration of the catheter tip into the left temporal lobe. These episodes
were captured on ambulatory electroencephalography as syncopal events, but with interictal
left temporal epi-leptiform discharges. These events promptly resolved after repositioning
the catheter. There was a recurrence of these events 1 yr later, associated with remigration
of the catheter tip into the left temporal lobe, necessitating removal of the Ommaya
reservoir, rendering the patient symptom free. This is the first reported case of
an iatrogenic and possibly ictal bradycardia-asystole syn-drome and underpins the
importance of considering migration of indwelling intracranial catheters into sensitive
regions of the cortex as a possible cause of paroxysmal episodes.
Keywords
Intracranial catheter - iatrogenic - bradycardia-asystole
