[Intravenous injection of phenobarbital for benign convulsions with mild gastroenteritis].

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effectiveness of intravenous injection of phenobarbital (PB) in patients referred to Himeji Red Cross Hospital, Hyogo, Japan, with benign convulsions with mild gastroenteritis (CwG) between November 2009 and June 2011.

METHODS: The patients who had a single seizure at the time of consultation were, in principle, followed without any treatment, and those with repeated seizures were treated with intravenous injection of 10 mg/kg PB.

RESULTS: During the study, 24 of 33 patients with CwG were administered PB intravenously. PB was administered after a single seizure in one patient, and the remainder were treated after 2-7 seizures, no patient had repeated seizures. The side effects were temporary and mild, although somnolence was seen in five patients, and two also showed staggering.

CONCLUSIONS: It was considered that intravenous injection of PB was effective for CwG. Intravenous injection of PB should be given to patients with CwG, regardless of whether they have vomiting and diarrhea.