AccScience Publishing / JCBP / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/JCBP025290053
CASE REPORT

Atypical neuroleptic malignant syndrome presenting as severe paralytic ileus following procyclidine withdrawal: A case report

Minhal Fatemah1 Areeba Ghaffar1* Muhammad Affan Baig2
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1 Department of Anesthesia, Rawalpindi Medical University Allied Hospitals, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan
2 Department of Surgery, Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan
Received: 17 July 2025 | Revised: 18 September 2025 | Accepted: 20 October 2025 | Published online: 5 November 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
Abstract

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition that has been reported in some patients following the administration of anti-dopaminergic agents or the rapid withdrawal of dopaminergic medications. Here, we report a case of a hypertensive male in his 60s who presented with fever, altered sensorium, rigidity, tremors, constipation, and significant abdominal distension. He had been on procyclidine 5 mg twice daily for 3 years, which was abruptly discontinued 10 days prior. Laboratory investigations revealed elevated creatinine phosphokinase, hypokalemia, and neutrophilic leukocytosis. Imaging showed massive bowel distension without signs of mechanical obstruction. A diagnosis of NMS was established based on Levenson’s criteria. Despite initial conservative management and optimization, the patient succumbed, highlighting a rare and fatal presentation of NMS following procyclidine withdrawal and presenting with paralytic ileus.

Keywords
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
Procyclidine
Paralytic ileus
Case report
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
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Journal of Clinical and Basic Psychosomatics, Electronic ISSN: 2972-4414 Print ISSN: 3060-8562, Published by AccScience Publishing