[Temporal lobe epilepsy. Aetiological classification in 61 paediatric patients].

Introduction: There are very few studies on the aetiology of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) in childhood. The purpose of the present study is to analyse the data of 61 children diagnosed with TLE, in order to describe the aetiology of TLE in children seen in a neuropaedriatic clinic. We also discuss the currently proposed classification.

[Intracranial venous thrombosis: reports on 11 paediatric cases].

Introduction: Intracranial venous thrombosis (IVT) is a rare condition at the paediatric age, with a wide variety of clinical features and causations.

Aim: To describe the etiopathogenic factors, the presenting symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and progress of the cases of IVT diagnosed at the Hospital 12 de Octubre.

Patients And Methods: The descriptive retrospective study involved reviewing the records of patients who were admitted to hospital between 1989 and 2005, with ages ranging between 1 month and 16 years.

[Cerebral palsy: the concept and population-based registers].

Introduction: Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of motor disability in the paediatric age. For several decades, a number of developed countries have kept registers that have been used to conduct population-based studies of CP. In Spain, however, little attention has been paid to the epidemiology of CP.

[Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. Experience of a tertiary hospital in Spain].

Introduction: To describe the epidemiological, clinical, microbiological, neuroimaging and laboratory features, treatment, and outcome in a cohort of children with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM).

Patients And Methods: Retrospective chart review was performed of children with a diagnosis of ADEM over a 23-year period in a tertiary hospital in Spain.

Results: Twelve cases were identified.

[Unilateral isolated paralysis of the soft palate: a case report and a review of the literature].

Introduction: Unilateral isolated paralysis of the soft palate is a rare clinical entity.

Case Report: We describe the case of a 12 year old girl who presented acute dysphagia, a nasal voice and regurgitation of liquids into the nose. Exploration revealed right velopalatine insufficiency with normal gag reflex and pharyngeal sensitivity.

[Neurological complications of systemic cancer and its treatment].

Introduction: Therapeutic advances have attained excellent results in the battle against systemic cancer. This has meant cure for many and greater survival. However, these achievements have led to a dramatic increase in neurological complications due to the cancer itself and the surgical treatment on its own or combined with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

[Cerebral cavernomas in childhood. clinical presentation and diagnosis].

Introduction: Intracranial vascular malformations are congenital lesions due to alterations in the development of the arteriolocapillary network. Traditionally they are divided into four types according to their histological characteristics: arteriovenous malformations, cavernous angiomas or cavernomas, venous angiomas and telangectasias. The cavernomas are multilobulated lesions which are clearly delimited and contain blood at different stages of evolution.

[Intracranial arachnoid cysts. A study of a series of 35 cases].

Introduction: Arachnoid cysts are cavities with a content similar to cerebrospinal fluid, frequently communicating with the subarachnoid space. They make up 1% of the intracranial space occupying lesions, and although typically seen in children (13%), they may be undiagnosed until the patient has become adult.

Patients And Methods: We review a series of 35 cases of congenital intracranial arachnoid cysts in children, which had been investigated in the Neuropaediatric Department during 1987 1999.

[The return to the ketogenic diet. What role does it play in the treatment of refractory seizures of infancy?].

Unlabelled: About one third of the patients with epilepsy are not satisfactorily controlled in spite of correct anticonvulsive treatment. Although the ketogenic diet has been used for refractory epilepsy since the 1920s, over the past ten years it has been used much more.

Objective: To review the effectiveness, tolerance and adverse effects in 12 paediatric patients who have been on this diet for over three months.

[Intradural spinal arachnoid cyst associated with Noonan's syndrome].

Introduction: Intradural spinal arachnoid cysts are collections of liquid similar to CSF, caused by a disorder of the arachnoid trabeculae. Noonan s syndrome is a condition involving multiple malformations, with autosomal dominant inheritance, variable penetration and expression and a phenotype similar to that of Turner s syndrome. We describe the case of a girl with Noonan s syndrome who presented with progressive scoliosis and signs and symptoms of a disorder of the spine related to an intradural spinal arachnoid cyst.

[Neonatal hypotonia of muscular origin: analysis of 50 cases].

Background: Neonatal hypotonia is a common request for neurological consultation. The aim of this study is to describe the main clinical features of muscular hypotonia in newborns at the light of the histopathological findings.

Methods: We reviewed 50 medical records of hypotonic neonates with abnormal muscular biopsy.

[Arteriovenous malformation in neurofibromatosis type 1. A case report and review of the literature].

Introduction: Neurofibromatosis type I may be accompanied by cerebrovascular complications, mainly stenosis or aneurysms and more rarely vertebral arteriovenous fistulas and malformations. We report the first case of a child, as far as we know, with neurofibromatosis type I and subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by rupture of an arteriovenous malformation.

Clinical Case: A 9 year old girl presented with the acute onset of a condition preceded by vomiting, deterioration in her level of consciousness and neck rigidity caused by subarachnoid and intraventricular hemorrhage.

[Dermatomyositis in childhood].

Aim: The aim of this study is to review the presenting signs and symptoms, laboratory findings and therapeutic regimens of juvenile dermatomyositis in a tertiary hospital.

Methods: We reviewed retrospectively the available medical records of patients who met the clinicopathologic criteria of Bohan and Peter for definite juvenile dermatomyositis. They were followed between 1986 and july 1999 at the pediatric rheumatology section at our institution.

[Experience with ventriculitis at a neonatology department].

Objective: To study the characteristics, treatment and follow-up of patients with ventriculitis in our neonatal unit.

Patients And Methods: Retrospective study of patients diagnosed with ventriculitis from January 1990 to December 1997. Diagnostic criteria were the identification of any bacteria in the ventricular fluid and pleocytosis (> or = 100 leukocytes per microl).

Generalized spike-and-wave patterns in children: clinical correlates.

All electroencephalograms performed in our institution between 1980 and 1990 were reviewed. The clinical characteristics of children with epilepsy and generalized spike-and-wave (SW) patterns were analyzed. The SW patterns were classified according to their frequency.

[Febrile seizures: is EEG useful?].

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical relevance of electroencephalograms (EEG) with generalized spike-wave (S-W) in pediatric patients, especially in children with febrile seizures.

Patients And Methods: One hundred and seventy pediatric patients with S-W were found from a register of 39,322 consecutive EEGs performed in an EEG laboratory dedicated to general clinical practice. Patients that only suffered febrile seizures were not considered epileptic.

[Epilepsy and CNS malformations].

Introduction: Malformations of cortical development are currently considered to be one of the commonest causes of mental retardation and epilepsy.

Development: New neuroimaging techniques have helped diagnosis of these conditions during life and the recognition of new anatomo-clinical syndromes. Although the true incidence of these lesions as a cause of epilepsy is unknown, data from surgical patients indicate that this is the commonest pathology found in children operated on for intractable crises.

[Perinatal antecedents, psychomotor retardation, learning difficulties and family history. Are they a risk factor for epilepsy?].

Objective: Epilepsy has been associated with certain circumstances such as perinatal pathology, learning difficulties, head trauma, infections of the central nervous system, febrile seizures and family history of epilepsy. The objective of our study was to analyze the association of the mentioned circumstances with epilepsy in a group of children with generalized spike-wave (S-W) in the electroencephalogram (EEG).

Patients And Methods: One hundred seventy pediatric patients with, S-W were found from a register of 39,322 consecutive EEGs.

[The prognosis of epilepsy in children with generalized spikes and wave disc charges in electroencephalographic recording].

Introduction: Epilepsy is a chronic disorder. The prognosis of one particular subtype, that of children with generalized spike and wave discharges (P-O) on the electroencephalogram (EEG), is unknown.

Objective: To determine the prognosis of children with epilepsy with P-O on EEG and the factors which affect this.

[Multicystic encephalomalacia. Review of 19 cases].

Objective: Multicystic encephalomalacia (EMQ) is a pediatric entity where the brain tissue is substituted by cavities of variably sizes.

Patients And Methods: Nineteen children diagnosed of EMQ were studied retrospectively. We analyzed the etiology, diagnosis and the clinical and radiological evolution.

[Symptomatic Chiari type-II malformation in the neonatal period: a review of 4 cases].

Four newborn patients with symptomatic Chiari II malformations were studied retrospectively. Clinical manifestations and surgical results are presented. All of these patients had hydrocephalus, which was symptomatic in two patients from the first day of life.