Pharmacoresistant Abdominal Seizures in Symptomatic Localization-Related Epilepsy

Abstract

Abdominal epilepsy is an uncommon cause of recurrent abdominal pain with or without other complaints seen in children and adults which often goes unnoticed. Here we are presenting a case of abdominal epilepsy in a 7-year boy who had recurrent abdominal pain since many years. He had a history of ventriculoperitoneal shunting which was performed for obstructive hydrocephalus at 1 month and left hemiparesis. He was evaluated at multiple centers for abdominal complaints before being referred here. The video electroencephalogram done showed inter ictal and ictal abnormalities which correlated with magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography abnormalities on the right side. He was started on antiepileptics with a partial response and continued to get events even with four antiepileptics but the frequency and severity reduced significantly. The present case report is to highlight the drug refractoriness of abdominal seizures in a patient with symptomatic focal epilepsy.