Case ReportInfantile Epileptic Encephalopathy (Ohtahara Syndrome) and Migrational Disorder
Introduction
Early infantile epileptic encephalopathy (EIEE), also referred to as Ohtahara syndrome, defined by its clinical and electroencephalographic features, is considered to be an age-specific epileptic response of the developing nervous system to varied insults 1, 2, 3, 4. EIEE is heterogeneous and has multiple presumed etiologies, although it is considered to be predominantly secondary to structural lesions of the cerebral cortex 2, 3, 5. To contribute to our understanding of this severe neonatal epileptic encephalopathy, we report a case associated with a diffuse cerebral migration and maturation disorder evident only on postmortem microscopic examination.
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Case Report
The patient, the only child of her parents, was conceived through the use of in vitro fertilization without the use of anonymous egg and sperm donors. There is no family history of seizure disorder. Delivery was at 37 weeks gestation via vaginal vertex with midforceps assistance because of transverse arrest. Apgar scores were 9 at 1 minute and 10 at 5 minutes, and the birth weight was 3,360 gm. She experienced her first seizure toward the end of the first day of age, and it was characterized by
Pathology
On general postmortem examination, there were findings of diffuse pulmonary changes of chronic aspiration, as well as active moderate reflux esophagitis. Examination of the central nervous system revealed a small brain weighing 933 gm (100 gm less than the normal weight for this age). Macroscopically, no abnormalities were noted except for minor variations of the normal appearing gyral patterns in both hemispheres, particularly on the temporal lobes where the left superior and middle gyri
Discussion
The diagnosis of EIEE in our patient was based on the early onset and high frequency of the child’s seizures during the neonatal period, the lack of response to medication, the evolution of EEG findings from initial suppression-burst during waking and sleep states, severe global developmental delay, and the predominant tonic nature of the child’s seizures 2, 3. Although the child had occasional myoclonic seizures, EIEE was distinguished from early myoclonic epilepsy by the typical
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