Propofol-related infusion syndrome induced by "moderate dosage" in a patient with severe head trauma.

Propofol is widely used for sedating critically ill adult patients because of its rapid onset and short recovery times, even after prolonged use. Propofol may be associated with a life-threatening syndrome, propofol-related infusion syndrome (PRIS), which includes cardiac failure, severe metabolic acidosis, renal failure, and rhabodomyolysis. The pathophysiology is incompletely understood. Propofol-related infusion syndrome seems to be dose-related, and it occurs generally in patients undergoing long-term (> 48 hrs) sedation at higher doses (> 4 mg/kg/hr). A case of PRIS in a patient after severe head injury is presented.