engleski

Epilepsy in Cystic Lesions of the Pineal Region in Childhood

Introduction: Lesions of the pineal gland constitute 0, 4-1, 0% of all intracranial tumors. The most common clinical symptoms related are headache, vertigo, visual disturbancies and less often vomiting, opthalmic symptoms and epilepsy. Sofar details on epileptic seizures were not presented. AIM: To present clinical characteristics of epilepsy and EEG findings in five children with cystic lesions of the pineal region. Material and Methods: The patients are two boys and three girls aged 11 to 15 years with epilepsy as presenting symptom. All examinees had MRI verified cystic lesion of the pineal region. Diagnostic work up excluded all other possible etiology for symptomatic epilepsy. The size of the lesions varied from 8x8x10 mm to 15x12x10 mm in diameter. Three children had generalized epilepsy (absance, grand mal), one had secondary generalized and one partial complex seizures. All the children had abnormal epileptic EEG recordings ranging from focal spike or sharped-waves to diffuse paroxismal polyspike, spike-waves complexes and were put on valproate therapy. Stabilization of epileptic seizures in all children was obtained over 6 months to 2 years follow-up period. On subsequent MRI examination in six months intervals no changes were noticed in comparison to initial findings. Therefore neurosurgical intervention wasn't considered as yet necessary and clinical, EEG and MRI follow up was recommended. Conclusion: In our patients, children with MRI verified cystic lesions of the pineal region epileptic seizures were absance, grand mal, partial complex and partial seizures with secondary generalization. Epilepsy was stabilized by administration of antiepileptic drug.

epilepsy; cystic lesions; pineal region

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