Benign partial epilepsy in infancy with complex partial seizures (Watanabe's syndrome): 12 non-Japanese new cases

Abstract

International epilepsy classification includes different epileptic syndromes with favourable outcomes in pediatric age. In addition to these, other forms probably exist and in various papers in international literature they are proposed as new entities. This article presents a survey of benign complex partial epilepsy in infancy, a new epileptic syndrome first proposed by Watanabe, in 1987. Our work represents the only description of non-Japanese cases although similar but familial cases had been referred by Vigevano in 1992. We present data for 12 children (aged up to 9 years) followed over 2 years who had all the typical clinical features characterizing Watanabe's cases. For all of them we obtained EEG seizure recordings demonstrating the partial nature of their fits, arising from occipital or temporal regions. Interictal EEG were completely normal, both in waking and sleep. Evolution demonstrated benign outcome and all the children are seizure-free (eight of them have already stopped all medication) and all have normal psychomotor development.