Prolonged treatment of refractory status epilepticus in a child.
Barbiturate anesthesia, which is commonly used for refractory status epilepticus, is an effective treatment, but with many significant complications. The relationship between the duration of this extreme therapy and the ultimate outcome of refractory status epilepticus has not been well studied. We report a 7-year-old girl who presented with refractory status epilepticus secondary to presumed encephalitis with a focal lesion on cranial magnetic resonance imaging. She was treated for 70 days with high-dose antiepileptic drugs and recovered with a residual seizure disorder. This case suggests that, if the status epilepticus is due to a reversible cause such as encephalitis, neurologic recovery may occur despite this very prolonged course of extreme therapy.
Sahin
M
M
Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. sahin_m@a1.tch.harvard.edu
Riviello
J J
JJ
D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001284:Atrophy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000927:Anticonvulsants