Symptomatic parieto-occipital epilepsy as sequela of perinatal asphyxia

Perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in term infants has been well-documented as a cause of selective brain damage over the parasagittal brain regions in cases of partial asphyxia. We describe 10 patients (7 boys, 3 girls) who developed normally after perinatal asphyxia, and who later experienced parieto-occipital epilepsy. We retrospectively reviewed medical records, electroencephalograms, and neuroimaging findings. All patients had a history of perinatal asphyxia requiring intensive care. Subsequent developmental milestones were apparently normal. Seizures started at ages ranging from 10 to 168 months (mean, 72 months). The seizures comprised complex partial seizures with visual symptomatology in 5 cases, complex partial seizures without visual symptomatology in 4 cases, and focal motor seizures with secondary generalization in the remaining case. Brain magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated localized parieto-occipital lesions in 9 cases, and normal findings in the remaining one. Electroencephalograms revealed predominantly occipital foci in 8. In all patients, the epileptogenic foci involved either unilateral or bilateral parieto-occipital regions. Intelligence quotients and visuospatial cognitive functions were impaired in 7 patients. Seizures were finally controlled in only 4 patients. Symptomatic parieto-occipital epilepsy caused by mild perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is sometimes pharmaco-resistant and accompanied by mild cognitive and visuospatial impairments.