Seizures and cerebral infarction in the full-term newborn.
Cerebral arterial infarction is a more common cause of neonatal seizures than has been previously appreciated. In 50 full-term newborns with seizures studied, 7 had cerebral infarction which was the second most common definable cause of seizures. We describe these 7 full-term infants with cerebrovascular accidents who presented with focal or generalized seizures. Obstetrical histories were normal in 5 of these patients. Their neurological examinations demonstrated lethargy and generalized hypotonia. Electroencephalograms demonstrated focal abnormalities in 4 infants. Computed tomographic scans in the first week of life showed infarctions in 6 newborns and in another at age 6 months. Neonatal stroke should be considered as a cause of seizures in a full-term newborn in spite of a normal obstetrical history and a nonfocal neurological examination.
D000367:Age Factors; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed