Clinical Reasoning: A Woman With Parkinson Disease, Dyskinesia, Rhabdomyolysis, Subcutaneous Emphysema, and Pneumomediastinum

A 47-year-old woman with Parkinson disease (PD) complicated by severe motor fluctuations had been treated with deep brain stimulation (DBS) for 11 years and intestinal carbidopa/levodopa infusion for 5 years. Three months after her most recent clinic visit, at which both the DBS and infusion pump systems were confirmed to be functioning appropriately, she presented to the emergency department with abnormal movements. On examination, she had continuous, generalized, involuntary hyperkinetic movements with an erratic, dance-like quality, consistent with levodopa-associated dyskinesia. Evaluation revealed rhabdomyolysis, subcutaneous emphysema, and pneumomediastinum. She required admission to the intensive care unit for sedation and airway protection. After a key surgical intervention, she rapidly returned to her previous neurologic status and was discharged home. This case highlights the approach to acute dyskinesia and underscores the challenges of managing severe motor fluctuations in patients with PD.