Authors : Odebode Timothy Olugbenga , Dunmade Adekunle David , Afolabi Olusola Abdulrahman and Suleiman Abdulmajeed Olayinka
Abstract: Late posttraumatic epilepsy complicating traumatic pneumocephalus is rare and the pathogenetic association between these conditions is not clear. We report its occurrence in two adult men who developed intracranial hypertension, recurrent CSF rhinorrhoea and incontinence of urine and or faeces due to intra-cerebral and intra-ventricular pneumocephalus after apparent recovery from initial motorbike head injury. Cranial computed tomography revealed left frontal lobe pneumocephalus in one patient (Case 1), while skull radiography revealed pneumocephalus in the region of the left frontal lobe and lateral and third ventricles in the other (Case 2). Case 2 recovered fully while on initial conservative management but Case 1 required a frontal craniotomy for decompression and repair of cranio-dural fistula. Both patients developed generalised tonic-clonic epilepsy after eight months of follow-up. The scalp EEG recordings were normal and repeat radiological investigations revealed complete resolution of pneumocephalus. Both patients have been seizure free for 9 and 12 months respectively on phenytoin sodium. The possible association link between poattraumatic pneumocephalus and epilepsy is discussed.
Odebode Timothy Olugbenga , Dunmade Adekunle David , Afolabi Olusola Abdulrahman and Suleiman Abdulmajeed Olayinka , 2007. Late Posttraumatic Epilepsy in Patients with Tension Pneumocephalus Complicating Head Injury: Report of Two Cases . International Journal of Tropical Medicine, 2: 25-28.