Chronic focal encephalitis (Rasmussen's syndrome) in an adult

Chronic focal encephalitis in adults is rare. Here we report a case of chro nic focal encephalitis with epilepsy in a man. A 53-year-old man was admitt ed to our hospital because of right-sided focal seizures and epilepticus pa rtialis continua. Brain imaging studies demonstrated progressive, focal, le ft cerebral atrophy. Prominent degenerative changes including neuronal loss and astrocytic gliosis were found on brain biopsy. Although the characteri stics were typical of Rasmussen's encephalitis, unlike chronic focal enceph alitis in children, his seizures were easily controlled by traditional anti epileptic therapy.