Pharyngeal dysesthesia as an aura in temporal lobe epilepsy.
OBJECTIVE
Because oral, buccal, and sometimes oral-pharyngeal manifestations in epilepsy are linked to the central-temporal region, we studied 3 patients with childhood-onset partial seizures that consistently began with pharyngeal dysesthesias, described as either throat tingling or burning, to localize seizure onset.


METHODS
Because of an intractable clinical course, each patient underwent invasive video-EEG monitoring, which localized the epileptogenic zone to the mesial temporal lobe. The 3 patients underwent temporal lobe resections.


RESULTS
All 3 patients achieved remission of the pharyngeal auras and a 90-100% reduction in the frequency of their seizures.


CONCLUSIONS
Pharyngeal dysesthesias can be the initial manifestation of complex partial seizures (CPS) of temporal lobe origin.
Carmant
L
L
Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Epilepsy Service Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Carrazana
E
E
Kramer
U
U
Helmers
S L
SL
Holmes
G L
GL
Black
P M
PM
Mikati
M A
MA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010292:Paresthesia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010608:Pharyngeal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010614:Pharynx / Q000503:physiopathology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000601:surgery