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Giant hypothalamic hamartoma and dacrystic seizures

Eduardo López-Laso1, M Elena Mateos González, Rafael Camino León

  • 1Pediatric Neurology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Reina Sofia, Córdoba, Spain. eduardo.lopez.sspa@juntadeandalucia.es

Epileptic Disorders : International Epilepsy Journal with Videotape
|February 20, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Ictal crying, specifically dacrystic seizures, can be linked to hypothalamic hamartoma. Surgical intervention resolved gelastic seizures but not dacrystic ones in an infant case.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Epileptology

Background:

  • Ictal crying, including dacrystic seizures, is a rare epileptic manifestation.
  • It is often associated with hypothalamic hamartoma, but can also occur with other brain lesions.

Observation:

  • A case study of an infant presenting with gelastic and dacrystic seizures linked to a giant hypothalamic hamartoma.
  • Dacrystic seizures occurred in clusters at sleep onset, characterized by moaning, flushing, crying, and specific eye/eyelid movements, followed by staring and automatisms.

Findings:

  • Surgical removal of the hypothalamic hamartoma at nine months of age successfully ceased gelastic seizures.
  • However, dacrystic seizures persisted post-operatively, indicating a complex or multifactorial etiology.

Implications:

  • This case highlights the varied presentation of seizures associated with hypothalamic hamartoma.
  • It suggests that while surgery can be effective for certain seizure types, others like dacrystic seizures may require alternative management strategies.

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