Oculogyric crisis masquerading as ventriculoperitoneal shunt dysfunction.

Abstract

Oculogyric crisis (OGC) is an underrecognized oculodystonic reaction associated with several medications including carbamazepine. The authors present a patient who had presented to the emergency department on multiple occasions with a questionable ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt dysfunction. Symptoms included nausea, vomiting, altered level of consciousness, ataxia, and vertical eye deviation. The patient underwent multiple revisions of the VP shunt with transient and questionable improvement. During her visit to the neurology clinic, OGC from carbamazepine was suspected, and the dose was reduced. The patient has been completely asymptomatic for the past 18 months. The authors report this case to increase the awareness of carbamazepine-induced OGC as one of the differential diagnoses for VP shunt dysfunction.