Practical aspects of diagnosis and treatment of neonatal seizures

Abstract

Aim– analyze the current practice of management in patients with neonatal seizures and perinatal brain disorders, and determine the ways to prevent long-term neurological complications.Materials and methods.The study group included 140 children (aged from 2 weeks to 18 months) with neonatal seizures and perinatal brain abnormalities. In these cases, the obstetric and early postnatal history was analyzed; all patients underwent video-EEG monitoring, cervical spine X-ray, neuroimaging, and a Doppler ultrasound test.Results.We found a number of reliable ante- and intra- partum predictors of neonatal seizures. According to the medical documentation from the neonatal pathology departments, local neonatologists have difficulties in diagnosing and verifying the type and duration of seizures. In most patients with neonatal seizures, we detected epileptiform EEG activity, signs of birth defects (according to X-ray) and marked changes (according to neuroimaging) in the cervical spine.Conclusion.The results confirm that neonatal seizures are one of the first symptoms of severe brain damage, including intra-natal damage. Evolution of neonatal seizures into drug-resistant epilepsy and further disability is associated with insufficient knowledge of neonatal seizures, standards for their diagnosis, therapy and multidisciplinary observation.