Sphenoid meningoencephalocele as a cause of epilepsy

Case contributed by Ali Alsmair
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Newly developed epilepsy. The family denied any history of trauma.

Patient Data

Age: 10 years
Gender: Female

Evidence of defect of the right lateral sphenoidal wall, with a herniated small part of the right mesial temporal lobe into the right sphenoid sinus, associated with well-defined fluid in the right sphenoid sinus.
Features are in keeping with right-sided lateral sphenoid Meningoencephalocele.

Normal cerebellar parenchyma.
No hydrocephalus.
Normal corpus callosum.
No ICH, space-occupying lesion or shift of midline structures.
Normal brain stem.
Normal arterial and venous flow voids.
No restricted diffusion.
Both cerebellopontine angles are clear.
No tonsillar herniation.
Normal sella.
Both mastoids are clear.

Case Discussion

Temporal lobe containing encephalocele is a rare cause for temporal lobe epilepsy. Surgical repair of the encephalocele may result in a good result regarding the treatment of epilepsy 1.

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