Teaching Video NeuroImage: Status Epilepticus Manifesting as Belly Dancing Secondary to Subdural Hematoma

A 74-year-old man developed involuntary rhythmic contractions of his left abdomen, after drainage of a chronic right frontoparietal subdural hematoma (Figure). These movements had electroencephalographic correlation with periodic lateralized discharges over the right posterior quadrant (Video 1, Figure) and were classified as clonic abdominal seizures. Clonic abdominal seizures are a rare clinical finding in patients with seizure disorders. The symptomatogenic zone most commonly localizes to the contralateral paracentral frontoparietal region.¹ Possible etiologies include primary brain tumors, brain metastasis, CNS infections, cortical dysplasia, stroke, and postsurgical complications.^1,2 Clonic abdominal seizures are infrequent, but should be suspected in patients with rhythmic and regular contractions of the hemiabdominal wall in the context of a contralateral cerebral structural lesion.