Hot water epilepsy occurring at temperature below the core temperature
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Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Esophageal Heat Transfer for Patient Temperature Control and Targeted Temperature Management
Published on: November 21, 2017
Stéphane Auvin1, Marie-Dominique Lamblin, Florence Pandit
1Department of Pediatric Neurology, University Hospital, Lille, France. auvin@invivo.edu
Abstract:
A 6-year-old girl had water reflex epilepsy occurring at lower temperature than the core temperature. Seizures episodes consisted of a loss of consciousness absence followed by left predominant hypotonia with right fronto-temporal high voltage slow waves on the ictal-EEG. Seizures were only observed when the water was poured on scalp or face. Neuropsychological evaluation showed frontal dysfunction (Rey's figure). MRI study was normal. Oxcarbazepine permitted the disappearance of seizures and an improvement of executive disorders. In this case, the pathophysiological mechanism cannot be a hyperthermic related event. The temperature control as treatment of hot-water epilepsy could be used after the exploration of its implication in seizure induction.
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