Man-in-the-barrel syndrome

In a prospective study of 34 comatose patients who had an episode of systemic hypotension, 11 had the “man-in-the-barrel” syndrome (MIB). They moved both legs spontaneously or in response to pain, but did not move either arm. One of 11 patients (9%) with MIB survived to leave the hospital; 8 of the 23 patients (35%) without MIB recovered. Of patients who moved at least one limb to pain and had intact pupillary, corneal, and oculocephalic reflexes 24 hours after insult, one of nine (11%) patients with MIB survived, compared with six of nine patients (67%) without MIB. MIB is common after cerebral hypoperfu-sion and carries a poor prognosis.