Seizure-related injuries in multihandicapped patients with therapy-resistant epilepsy.
A prospective study on seizure-related injuries in Norway's two nursing homes for persons with epilepsy was conducted. Sixty-two multihandicapped patients with mostly difficult-to-treat epilepsy were assessed for 13 months: 6,889 seizures, 2,696 with ensuing falls, resulted in 80 injuries. The seizure-related injury risk was 1.2%. The most frequent injuries were mild soft tissue injuries with and without cuts. Six serious injuries were recorded: two leg fractures, one mandibular fracture, one neck of the femur fracture, one skull fracture, and one subdural hematoma. A 71-year-old woman with subdural hematoma died during operation for the hematoma. Seizure types most often causing injury were atonic and tonic-clonic seizures. Prophylactic measures can be taken. Because the seizure-induced injury risk was slight, we concluded that even persons with refractory epilepsy should be encouraged to lead active lives.
Nakken
K O
KO
National Center for Epilepsy, Sandvika, Norway.
Lossius
R
R
D000059:Accidents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006408:Hematoma, Subdural / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology