Neurological reactions
Headache is the most common neurological adverse reaction reported. In one study, headache was the reason for withdrawal of 2 out of 21 patients being treated with DMSO 116.
Three studies using DMSO as a cryoprotectant in stem cell transfusions described seizures after administration 18, 36, 47. Severe encephalopathy was observed in one patient 99, and transient cranial nerve III and IV palsy was observed in one patient after Onyx embolization 34. One study described neurological symptoms occurring during and after transfusion, but they did not define neurological symptoms in detail 86.