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.
McEvoy
Andrew W
AW
Department of Surgical Neurology, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK. a.mcevoy@ion.ucl.ac.uk
Bartolucci
Marcello
M
Revesz
Thomas
T
Harkness
William
W
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*