[Epilepsy due to mesiotemporal sclerosis in children: 10 cases].
BACKGROUND
Mesio-temporal sclerosis is a frequent and probably underestimated cause of resistant temporal epilepsy in childhood.


METHODS
Ten patients originating from West and North-East France are reported in this retrospective study. They were referred for partial temporal epilepsy which had begun between the ages of 3.5 and 15 years. Mesio-temporal sclerosis was diagnosed on MRI (ten cases) and on neuropathological examination (three cases).


RESULTS
Complex partial seizures were noted in all patients, with most frequently fear, abnormal epigastric perception and oro-alimentary automatisms. Social and educational issues were altered due to frequent seizures and amnesic disturbances. An initial event, always a complex febrile seizure, was found in six patients. MRI study showed in all patients unilateral hippocampal atrophy and/or an increase in hippocampal T2 signal intensity on coronal sections. Ictal EEG showed homolateral temporal seizures six times. Hippocampo-amygdalectomy was performed in three patients with a good outcome.


CONCLUSIONS
Epilepsy associated with mesio-temporal sclerosis belongs to intractable epilepsy in childhood. Early recognition of its symptoms would allow early pre-operative assessment in order to minimize developmental defects due to continuing epilepsy, and adverse cognitive effects of anti-epileptics.
Zix
C
C
Service de pédiatrie, hôpital SSM, Freyming-Merlebach, France.
Billard
C
C
Motte
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000679:Amygdala / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001284:Atrophy; D001332:Automatism / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography; D017029:Epilepsy, Complex Partial / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012598:Sclerosis; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology*; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D016896:Treatment Outcome