CALLOSOTOMY FOR GENERALIZED SEIZURES ASSOCIATED WITH HYPOTHALAMIC HAMARTOMA

A case is reported of intractable epilepsy associated with a hypothala mic hamartoma in an 18 year old man. The patient underwent a two-third anterior callsotomy and, subsequently, removal of the hamartoma. Call osotomy did not affect the generalized seizure pattern. The authors be lieve this to be the first documented case of hypothalamic hamartoma i n which callosotomy for seizure control was attempted. The poor respon se to callosotomy suggests the extracallosal diffusion of the generali zed seizures from hypothalamic hamartomas.