Posttraumatic epilepsy: clinical course and intervention strategies

Year 2025, Volume: 5 Issue: 1, 14 - 19, 30.06.2025

Yusuf İskender Savur , Sezen Özsefil

Abstract

Posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE) is a type of epilepsy characterized by recurrent and spontaneous seizures following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Many mechanisms such as disruption of the blood-brain barrier, glial cell activation, synaptic reorganization, excitatory-inhibitory imbalance and genetic predispositions have been shown to be effective in the epilepsy process. Clinical symptoms are directly related to the type and severity of trauma. Imaging methods such as EEG and MRI are critical in the diagnostic process. Seizures that start in the early period may be the precursor of permanent seizures in the later periods. Treatment focuses on prevention of seizures in the early period and long-term antiepileptic treatment in the late period. Neuromodulation and surgical techniques should be considered in drug-resistant cases. In addition, psychological support and lifestyle modifications play a complementary role in PTE treatment. Considering this information, PTE is not only a neurological treatment but also a health problem that requires a multidisciplinary approach.

Keywords

post, trauma, posttraumatic, epilepsy, posttraumatic epilepsy

Posttravmatik epilepsi: klinik seyir ve müdahale stratejileri

Abstract

Posttravmatik epilepsi (PTE), travmatik beyin hasarını (TBH) takiben ortaya çıkan tekrarlayıcı ve kendiliğinden gelişen nöbetlerle seyreden bir epilepsi türüdür. Kan-beyin bariyerinin bozulması, glial hücre aktivasyonu, sinaptik reorganizasyon, eksitatör-inhibitör dengesizlik ve genetik yatkınlıklar gibi çok sayıda mekanizmanın epilepsi sürecinde etkili olduğu gösterilmiştir. Klinik belirtileri travmanın tipi ve şiddeti ile doğrudan ilişkilidir. Tanı sürecinde ise EEG ve MRG gibi görüntüleme yöntemleri kritik öneme sahiptir. Erken dönemde başlayan nöbetler, ilerleyen dönemlerde kalıcı nöbetlerin öncüsü olabilmektedir. Tedavi sürecinde; erken dönemde nöbetlerin önlenmesi, geç dönemde ise uzun süreli antiepileptik tedaviye odaklanılmaktadır. İlaca dirençli vakalarda nöromodülasyon ve cerrahi teknikler değerlendirilmelidir. Ayrıca psikolojik destek ve yaşam tarzına yönelik değişiklikler PTE tedavisinde tamamlayıcı rol oynamaktadır. Bu bilgiler göz önüne alındığında PTE yalnızca nörolojik bir tedavi değil aynı zamanda multidisipliner yaklaşım gerektiren bir sağlık problemidir.

Keywords

Post, travma, posttravmatik, epilepsi, posttravmatik epilepsi

Thanks

Makalemizi okuyup geri dönütte bulunduğu Prof. Dr. Ufuk EMRE TOPRAK'a teşekkürlerimizi sunuyoruz.

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