Surgical treatment of a case of early infantile epileptic encephalopathy with suppression-bursts associated with focal cortical dysplasia

We report a surgically treated case of early infantile epileptic encephalop athy (EIEE) with supression-bursts associated with focal cortical dysplasia . Tonic-clonic seizures followed by a series of spasms occurred about a hun dred times a day at a few days of age. Interictal electroencephalogram (EEG ) revealed a suppression-burst pattern that was predominant in the left hem isphere. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suggested focal cortical dysplasi a in the left prefrontal area. Combination therapies with antiepileptic tre atments showed only partial efficacy. The patient underwent lesionectomy at age 4 months, after which he gradually showed psychomotor development and a decrease of spasms to 0-2 series daily. In cases of EIEE with focal corti cal dysplasia, surgical treatment may have beneficial effects on both psych omotor development and seizure control.