Intractable epilepsy and olfactory bulb hamartoma. A case report.
The objective of this case report is to demonstrate that a benign tumour arising solely from the olfactory bulb can act as a primary epileptic focus and to illustrate the difficulty in making a preoperative diagnosis of pathological lesions in this area. The case of a 29-year-old male with intractable epilepsy is presented. Radiological imaging demonstrated a conspicuous, calcified lesion in the mesial inferior frontal lobe. Electroclinical findings confirmed this to be the epileptogenic zone. Surgery and subsequent histology surprisingly revealed this focal lesion to be a benign hamartoma arising solely from the olfactory bulb. Resection resulted in seizure resolution. Tumours of the olfactory apparatus are extremely rare, but can present with epilepsy.
Department of Surgical Neurology, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK. a.mcevoy@ion.ucl.ac.uk
Andrew W
AW
McEvoy
Marcello
M
Bartolucci
Thomas
T
Revesz
William
W
Harkness
D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017029:Epilepsy, Complex Partial / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006222:Hamartoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*