Posttraumatic Epilepsy

Some patients may have some findings depending on the location and severity of the traumatic brain injury. Seizures can cause symptoms to overlap. Such symptoms include :

•        Language problems
•        Diffuse psychomotor slowing.
•        Psychological problems
•  Personality changes
•  Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• anxiety
•  Depression
•       Posttraumatic headaches and some could develop migraines.

If you have any of these symptoms visit a Neurologist to be diagnosed and treated properly.

By definition, brain damage leads to posttraumatic epilepsy. The following patient characteristics make patients more vulnerable to posttraumatic epilepsy :

•        Ages older than 65 years old or less than five years
•        Chronic drinking

Risk Factors contributing to brain injury :

•        Severe injury
•       Serious head injury
•        Hemorrhage inside the skull
•        Depressed or linear skull fracture
•        Bloody contusion
•        A coma that lasts longer than 24 hours
•       Pre-thrombotic syndrome
•       Traumatic brain injury history
•        Electroencephalographic abnormalities or focal neuroimaging in the immediate aftermath of injury

The tests listed below can help in Posttraumatic Epilepsy diagnosis and evaluation :

•      Electroencephalography (EEG) & video EEG
•       Neuroimaging
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
•   Computerized tomography (CT)

Hospitalization is not required for the treatment of posttraumatic epilepsy.

•        Anti-seizures medication :

For early posttraumatic seizure

•   IV phenytoin and sodium valproate (Medications of choice)
•   IV benzodiazepine

For late posttraumatic seizure treatment is not mandatory and usually challenging for compliance issues. Instead, Surgery is a valid option in such situations if applicable.