Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 2/9/2008

Question
Hi Dr,
My daughter is 4 years old and very healthy. She recently had to have surgery on her elbow after falling off a couch and breaking her arm. Days after the surgery my wife and I started noticing her having "staring spells" or abscence seizures. She will be doing something then all of a sudden stop and her eyes will roll up slightly and she will stare for up to ten seconds. They seem to be becoming more frequent. Everyone we talk to always seems to think that the anesthesia has something to do with it. Have you ever heard of this and if so what can we do to help?

Answer
I doubt this is related to anesthesia but it should definitely be evaluated by a pediatric neurologist. It might be that the first such seizure was when she fell off the couch?? Anesthesia does not cause seizures and, in fact is sometimes used to break seizures, so I don't think they are related.

Ronald Levy, MD
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston