Of 421 veterans who had penetrating brain wounds in Vietnam 15 years ago, 53% had posttraumatic epilepsy, and one-half of those still had seizures 15 years after injury. The relative risk of developing epilepsy dropped from about 580 times higher than the general age-matched population in the first year to 25 times higher after 10 years. Patients with focal neurologic signs or large lesions had increased risk of epilepsy, and site of the lesion may have been more important than size in determining occurrence. Family history of epilepsy or preinjury intelligence had no effect on seizure occurrence. Seizure frequency in the first year predicted future severity of seizures. Phenytoin therapy in the first year after injury did not prevent later seizures.
t,' The development, recession, and residua of posttraumatic epilepsy follow natural laws that are imperfectly defined. However, studies from World War I, World War II, the Korean conflict, and the Vietnam War demonstrate the following patterns: 1) The onset of seizures is significantly related to local brain destruction and its location, and to diffuse brain damage, reflected by alteration in consciousness. 2) The incidence of seizures has remained the same from one war to another, in spite of marked improvement in patient transport, surgical techniques, medical management, and the prophylactic use of anticonvulsants in Vietnam. 3) After injuries incurred in combat and support activities, the onset of new cases of epilepsy rises sharply, with approximately 5% having a seizure in the first week, 10% in the first 3 months, 16% in the first 6 months, 23% in the first year, 29% in the first 2 years; after that there is a low, but protracted rate of new cases of epilepsy. 4) Those cases that occur in the first week are less influenced by the agent of injury or local brain damage, thereafter there is a sharp divergence with the more extensive injuries providing the greater number of patients with seizures. 5) In the population at risk, 65% to 75% never have a seizure. In those that do, the development varies in degree, adjudged from frequency of seizures. The latter ranges from a single seizure to a number that defies an accurate count. 6) As new patients with seizures accumulate, earlier patients cease having seizures. Within 5 to 10 years, one-half of the patients have ceased having seizures, with or without therapy. Half of the remainder, about 8% of the injured, have intractable seizures. 7) While there is a clear correlation between severity of injury and onset of seizures, there is no correlation between severity of injury and cessation of attacks. However, there is a correlation between the attack frequency and persistence of seizures. 8) From the preceding, two principal determinants are evident: the constitutional tendency toward seizures (probably a multifactorial genetic trait), and the brain damage. In onset of seizures, both play a part, the constitutional factor apparently determining severity of attacks. In cessation or persistence of seizures, the constitutional factor plays the dominant role.
Among 342 men who survived severe penetrating brain wounds, only 15% had prolonged unconsciousness and 53% had no or momentary unconsciousness after injury, emphasizing the focal nature of these wounds. The left (or language-dominant) hemisphere was dominant for the "wakefulness" component of consciousness. The areas most associated with unconsciousness included the posterior limb of the left internal capsule, left basal forebrain, midbrain, and hypothalamus. Left dominance was not seen for posttraumatic amnesia after elimination of the wakefulness variable, suggesting that wakefulness may be linked to the role of the left hemisphere in verbal memory.
A population of 1221 patients from the Vietnam War with penetrating craniocerebral trauma was analyzed. Thirty-seven cases of brain abscess were documented (incidence 3%). This sequela occurred more frequently in association with extensive, deep penetrating injuries; deep, prolonged coma; cerebrospinal fluid fistulas; wound infections; facio-orbital cranial/air sinus injuries; and retained bone fragments. The mortality rate was 54%, and, of the patients who survived, 82% had significant morbidity. This is the last large population study of brain abscess after penetrating craniocerebral trauma before the availability of computed tomographic scanning and more comprehensive coma care. It should serve as base line data against which we can measure improvement.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.