Traumatic Medial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Associated with a Subcortical Lesion in the Internal Capsule - A Case Report

Abstract

Although there is no universally accepted definition, traumatic medial temporal lobe epilepsy (traumatic MTLE) can be generally defined as a type of post-traumatic epilepsy with medial temporal epileptogenicity. Previous studies have demonstrated that patients with traumatic MTLE frequently have hippocampal sclerosis (HS) coexisting with traumatic neocortical lesions. We report a 39-year-old MTLE patient with a subcortical lesion in the internal capsule, suspected to be caused by mild diffuse axonal injury. The results of presurgical examinations and intraoperative electrocorticograms were consistent with a diagnosis of MTLE. Therefore, an anterior temporal lobectomy with hippocampectomy was performed. A 3D short tau inversion recovery 3-Tesla MRI scan clearly depicted possibly Wallerian degeneration in the temporal stem, which was continuous with the subcortical Vol.6 No.1 (2013) Epilepsy & Seizure Journal of Japan Epilepsy Society