Course and management of tetanus
Pfausler, B.; Kampfl, A.; Haring, H.P.; Berek, K.; Luef, G.; Schmutzhard, E.
Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift 105(18): 527-529
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0043-5325 PMID: 8237016 Document Number: 416814
Within a span of 18 months 4 patients (2 men, 2 women) were admitted with generalized tetanus to our neurological intensive care unit. The "period of onset" ranged from 2 to 14 days. All patients needed artificial ventilation over 17 to 38 days. The clinical course was complicated by gram-negative pneumonia in 3 of the 4 patients. Time of hospitalization ranged between 35 and 60 days. One patient had never been immunized against tetanus. The other 3 had not received a booster dose for over 10 years. All 4 patients survived, 3 of them without sequelae.