Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) as therapy in an infant with epilepsia partialis continua

Diana Chang; Nilika S Singhal; Phiroz E Tarapore; Kurtis I Auguste

doi:10.1016/j.ebr.2021.100511

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) as therapy in an infant with epilepsia partialis continua

Epilepsy Behav Rep. 2021 Nov 28:18:100511. doi: 10.1016/j.ebr.2021.100511. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Diana Chang¹, Nilika S Singhal², Phiroz E Tarapore³, Kurtis I Auguste³

Affiliations

¹ University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, 533 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94143, United States.
² University of California, San Francisco, Department of Neurology, 400 Parnassus Ave 8 Floor, San Francisco, CA 94143, United States.
³ University of California, San Francisco, Department of Neurosurgery, 400 Parnassus Ave 8 Floor, San Francisco, CA 94143, United States.

Abstract

Introduction: We present a case of a 10-month-old girl undergoing repetitive TMS (rTMS) for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy. Case report: A 10-month-old girl, later diagnosed with pathogenic POLG1 mutations, presented to our institution with chronic progressive EPC (epilepsia partialis continua) manifesting as a frequent, left-sided, synchronous continuous jerking of the arms and legs. The seizures were drug-resistant to multiple antiseizure medications and epilepsy surgery, responding only to continuous anesthesia. rTMS therapy was attempted to interrupt seizures. Results: rTMS therapy, using an activating protocol to introduce a temporary lesion effect, was used to interrupt persistent, ongoing seizures. Conclusion: rTMS can be safely used to abort seizures in patients as young as 10 months old.

Keywords: Epilepsia partialis continua; Epilepsy; Infant; Repetitive transcranial magnetic therapy (rTMS).

Publication types

Case Reports