Presentation
Long term phenytoin use for seizure disorder.
Patient Data
Note: This case has been tagged as "legacy" as it no longer meets image preparation and/or other case publication guidelines.
Cerebellar atrophy and hyperostosis of the calvarium.
Case Discussion
Long term use of anti-seizure medications can produce CNS complications. Phenytoin is a frequently prescribed anti-seizure medication that may cause cerebellar atrophy and hyperostosis of the calvarium.
The cause of cerebellar atrophy in patients with a seizure disorder may be due to:
- seizure mediated cell loss
- side effect of the anti-seizure medication
- combination of above factors
There are various causes of calvarial thickening, but the combination with cerebellar atrophy in this patient with a history of long term phenytoin use favors phenytoin as the cause.