Rasmussen's encephalitis: Experience from a developing country based on a group of medically and surgically treated patients (original) (raw)
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Nationwide survey (incidence, clinical course, prognosis) of Rasmussen’s encephalitis
Brain and Development, 2010
Purpose: Rasmussen's encephalitis (RE) is a progressive and catastrophic epileptic disorder caused by chronic localized encephalitis. We performed a nationwide survey of RE to assess the clinical picture, treatment effect, and prognosis of Japanese RE patients. Subjects & methods: The subjects were 27 patients (male:12; female:15) from 13 medical facilities. All of them satisfied the clinical and neuroimaging criteria for RE, including 14 pathologically proven cases. Results: They were divided into the childhood-onset rapidly progressive type (CORP, n = 19), and late-onset slowly progressive type (LOSP, n = 8). The mean age at epilepsy onset was 4 years and 4 months in CORP, and 16 years in LOSP. The mean period between the onset age of epilepsy and development of frequent seizures was 1 year and 4 months in the former, and 3 years and 4 months in the latter. The immunomodulatory treatment including high-dose steroid (n = 14) and high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapies (IVIgG, n = 12) achieved more than a 50% reduction in the seizure frequency in 5 (36%) and 4 (33%) patients, respectively. Eight and seven patients underwent focal cortical resection and functional hemispherectomy, leading to significant improvement in 5 of the 8 patients and excellent seizure control in all 7 patients, respectively. Conclusion: Although the high-dose steroid and IVIG therapies may have alleviated the exacerbation of seizures in those with RE, they could not halt the disease progression. Functional hemispherectomy is still the only curative therapy for RE, despite the fact that the early introduction of this procedure remains controversial.
Lingual epilepsia partialis continua in Rasmussen’s encephalitis
Epileptic Disorders International Epilepsy Journal With Videotape, 2006
We report an adult male who presented with disabling dysarthria due to epilepsia partialis continua (EPC) of the left half of the tongue. The clinical, brain magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalographic features were consistent with Rasmussen's encephalitis, although, despite having had the disease for over 15 years, he did not exhibit any hemiparesis. The accompanying video illustrates the lingual EPC and its total resolution following a right frontal opercular focal cortical resection.
Rasmussen encephalitis: long-term outcome after surgery
Childs Nervous System, 2009
Background and purpose Rasmussen encephalitis (RE) is characterized by intractable epilepsy, progressive hemiparesis, and unilateral hemispheric atrophy. The progression of the symptoms to significant neurological impairment usually occurs within months to a few years. RE causes are unknown, although evidence of an autoimmune process has been extensively described in the literature. Antiepileptic drugs are usually not effective to control seizures or cerebral atrophy; despite data supporting a beneficial effect of early immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory interventions, for intractable seizures in RE patients with advanced disease, epilepsy surgery in the form of hemispheric disconnection has been considered the treatment of choice. This work describes the clinical and electrographic analyses, as well as the post-operative evolution of patients with RE. Materials and methods This work includes all the patients with RE evaluated from January 1995 to January 2008 by the Ribeirão Preto Epilepsy Surgery Program (CIREP), taking variables such as gender; age at epilepsy onset; seizure semiology; seizure frequency; interictal and ictal electroencephalographic (EEG) findings; age at surgery, when done; duration of epilepsy; surgery complications; follow-up duration; anatomo-pathological findings; post-surgery seizure; language and cognitive outcome; and anti-epileptic drug treatment after surgery into account. Results Twenty-five patients were evaluated; thirteen were female. Mean age of epilepsy onset was 4.4 ± 2.0 years. There were no differences between patients with slow and fast evolution with respect to age of epilepsy onset (p = 0.79), age at surgery (p = 0.24), duration of epilepsy (0.06), and follow-up (p = 0.40). There were no correlations between the presence of bilateral EEG abnormalities or the absence of spikes and post-operative seizure outcome (p = 0.06). Immunomodulatory therapy was tried in 12 patients (48%). Twenty-three patients underwent surgery. The mean follow-up was 63.3 months. Eleven patients had total seizure control. Twelve individuals persisted with seizures consisting of mild facial jerks (six patients), occasional hemigeneralized tonic–clonic seizures (three patients), and frequent tonic–clonic seizures (three patients). Mental and language impairment was observed in 15 and 12 patients, after surgery, respectively. Eight patients presented post-operative cognitive decline, while only two patients had cognitive improvement. Comparing pre- and post-operative language deficits, 66.7% of the 12 patients with language disturbance did not improve after surgery. Conclusions This retrospective study reported the clinical and electrographic analysis, as well as the evolution of 23 patients with RE. Patients were divided into two groups: fast evolution and slow evolution to hemiparesis and epilepsia partialis continua. These groups may represent different RE substrates. Fourteen patients achieved satisfactory seizure control, three patients had partial response to surgery, and five patients had maintenance of the pre-operative condition. All patients with left-side involvement presented with some language disturbance, which did not improve after surgery in 66.6% of patients. Cognitive evaluation showed that the majority of the patients did not have any significant improvement, and 38.1% had cognitive deterioration after surgery.
Putaminal involvement in Rasmussen encephalitis
Pediatric radiology, 2006
Background: Rasmussen encephalitis (RE) is a rare devastating disease of childhood causing progressive neurological deficits and intractable seizures, typically affecting one hemisphere. Characteristic MRI features include progressive unihemispheric focal cortical atrophy and grey-or white-matter high-signal changes and basal ganglion involvement, particularly of the caudate nucleus. Objective: To analyse the pattern of involvement of different brain structures in a series of patients with RE and to attempt clinical correlation. Materials and methods: We reviewed the medical records and neuroimaging data of 12 patients diagnosed with RE satisfying the European Consensus Statement diagnostic criteria. Results: The disease manifested as seizures in all patients and was refractory; epilepsia partialis continua was a notable feature (nine patients). Hemiparesis of varying grades was noted in all but one patient; none had extrapyramidal signs. Neuroimaging showed cortical involvement in the insular/periinsular regions in 11 patients. Caudate atrophy was noted in ten patients. Putaminal atrophy was seen in nine patients, six of whom had additional hyperintense signal changes. Conclusions: Our study highlights frequent putaminal atrophy and signal changes in RE, which suggests a more extensive basal ganglion involvement than emphasized previously. Recognition of putaminal changes may be a useful additional tool in the radiological diagnosis of RE.
Epilepsy surgery in adult-onset Rasmussen’s encephalitis: case series and review of the literature
Neurosurgical Review, 2015
Rasmussen's encephalitis (RE) is a rare immunemediated condition characterized by drug-resistant focal epilepsy, progressive neurological, and cognitive deficits associated to unilateral hemispheric atrophy. The onset is typically reported in childhood, although adult cases (A-RE) have been described. While surgical strategies in childhood RE are well defined, little is known about usefulness of epilepsy surgery in ARE patients. We describe clinical features, surgical approach, and outcome of five ARE patients who underwent epilepsy surgery, and we review the literature with regard to surgical ARE cases. We retrospectively studied five ARE patients aged 21-38 years (mean age 22.8 years) who were followed after surgery for a period ranging from to 1 to 6 years. Demographic, electroclinical, and neuroimaging data were systematically reviewed. Four out of five subjects underwent invasive EEG monitoring to define epileptogenic zone. Epilepsy outcome was defined according to Engel's classification. Surgery consisted of frontal corticectomy in three patients, temporal lobectomy in one, combined temporal lobectomy plus insular, and frontobasal corticectomy in the remaining case. No permanent neurological deficits were observed after surgery. At the last follow-up observation, one patient was seizure-free, two subjects experienced rare disabling seizures, another had moderate seizure reduction, and one had no clinical improvement. Our experience, although limited to few cases, suggests that resective surgery in ARE may play a role in the context of multidisciplinary therapeutical approach of this severe condition. Since the lack of specific data about surgical options, this topic seems to deserve further investigations and more targeted studies.
Epilepsy surgery for Rasmussen encephalitis: the UCLA experience
Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, 2020
OBJECTIVERasmussen encephalitis (RE) is a rare inflammatory neurological disorder typically involving one hemisphere and resulting in drug-resistant epilepsy and progressive neurological decline. Here, the authors present seizure outcomes in children who underwent epilepsy surgery for RE at a single institution.METHODSThe records of consecutive patients who had undergone epilepsy surgery for RE at the UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital between 1982 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Basic demographic information, seizure history, procedural notes, and postoperative seizure and functional outcome data were analyzed.RESULTSThe cohort included 44 patients, 41 of whom had sufficient data for analysis. Seizure freedom was achieved in 68%, 48%, and 22% of the patients at 1, 5, and 10 years, respectively. The median time to the first seizure for those who experienced seizure recurrence after surgery was 39 weeks (IQR 11–355 weeks). Anatomical hemispherectomy, as compared to functional he...
Functional Hemispherotomy in a Patient with Rasmussen’s Encephalitis: A Case Report
Bangladesh Medical Research Council Bulletin
Background: Rasmussen’s encephalitis is a progressive disease with recurrent drug resistant epilepsy, unihemispheric brain atrophy, hemiplegia and cognitive decline. Objectives: This is a disconnection surgery which disconnects the diseased lobe from the normal lobe. This helps in development of the normal cerebral hemisphere and also the child becomes seizure free. Methods: A five year old boy was diagnosed with Rasmussen’s encephalitis. He underwent left sided transsylvian functional hemisherectomy. He had uneventful recovery. Results: Before surgery he had recurrent seizures, frequent drop attacks and right sided hemiplegia and impaired cognition. He used to take three drugs for the control of the seizure. After surgery his mental state had improved, seizures were controlled with only sodium valproate. Patient’s mother was happy that he had no drop attacks and was able to sit and speak. Conclusion: Functional hemispherectomy is a good option for drug resistant seizure in Ramussen...
Rasmussen encephalitis: Epilepsia partialis continua secondary to chronic encephalitis
Pediatric Neurology, 1990
Rasmussen encephalitis is a disease consisting of chronic encephalitis with progressive neurologic deficits and focal intractable seizure activity. The etiology is unknown, but pathologic specimens revealed changes consistent with viral encephalitis. Even though neuroimaging techniques, such as positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, offer the prospect of specific, presurgical diagnostic criteria, the initial diagnosis usually is made on a clinical basis. Treatment modalities, including a wide variety of antiepileptic drug therapies and surgical interventions, may result in significant physical and mental impairments. We summarize the clinical presentation, diagnostic considerations, and different treatment protocols in a patient with this rare and debilitating disorder.
MRI findings in the diagnosis and monitoring of rasmussen's encephalitis
Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria, 2009
Rasmussen's encephalitis is a devastating syndrome of multifocal brain dysfunction and focal seizures. Magnetic resonance (MR) findings, associated with clinical data and electroencephalogram (EEG), may indicate the diagnosis and could be an indicative of prognosis. We studied 5 patients with Rasmussen's encephalitis, assessing clinical history and MR images. All patients had refractory focal seizures with a predominant motor component associated with hemispheric atrophy, that was proportional to severity of disease and neurological deficits in these patients. Gray and white matter abnormal signal on T2 MR images were found in patients who had hemiparesis. It was not related to the duration of the disease but to aggressiveness. MR proton spectroscopy in severe disease showed lactate and choline increase and decreased NAA, reflecting neuronal and axonal loss, gliosis and elevated membrane turnover and recent -crisis (not controlled). MR studies, in addition to help in diagnosis, may be useful for monitoring metabolic changes and progression of disease in Rasmussen's encephalitis.
Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria, 2002
Rasmussen's encephalitis is characterized by refractory epilepsy, neurological deterioration and progressive atrophy of one cerebral hemisphere. The objective of this study is to describe the importance of neuropsychological evaluation in the treatment decision and follow-up of patients with Rasmussen´s encephalitis. Neuropsychological assessment was performed in two steps. Firstly, the clinical history was obtained and the Vineland adaptative behavior scale (VABS) was applied. After this first step, the patients with social maturity level equal or higher than the inferior limit underwent a battery of neuropsychological assessment. We evaluated three patients before any specific treatment was started, and six months after the intervention (surgery or plasmapheresis). Patient 1 underwent left hemispherectomy and had global improvement on second neuropsychological assessment. This suggests that the decision of performing surgery was adequate. Patients 2 and 3 underwent plasmapheresis. They did not present cognitive decline between both evaluations which suggest that our decision of postponing surgery was adequate as well. We conclude that neuropsychological assessment is important when evaluating patients with Rasmussen´s encephalitis. That is especially true for patients in whom disease progression is slow, and surgery timing has to be carefully planned.