Clinical-electroencephalographic analysis of brain bioelectrical activity in children with myelomeningocele and internal hydrocephalus.

PURPOSE The aim of the current study was the clinical and electroencephalographic (EEG) analysis of the brain bioelectrical activity in patients with myelomeningocele and internal hydrocephalus. MATERIAL AND METHODS The present study included 86 children (44 boys and 42 girls) with myelomeningocele. The children were aged 1-17 years (mean 7 +/- 4.4 years). Thoracic myelomeningocele was identified in 24 children (28%), lumbar in 53 (62%) and sacral in 9 cases (10%). RESULTS The standard EEG examination performed in the waking state revealed generalized changes in 53 patients (62%), including 19 (79%) with thoracic, 28 (53%) with lumbar and 6 (66%) with sacral myelomeningocele. Approximately 70% of the patients underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunting and epilepsy was found in 27 children (31.4%). The prevalence of changes detected in the left temporal region did not differ between the respective myelomeningocele types. No correlations were noted between the degree of spinal cord injury and the changes observed in the left temporal region in EEG recording. Likewise, changes found in the centroparietal region in EEG did not correlate with the site of myelomeningocele. Focal changes in the frontotemporal (p < 0.0067) and right temporal region (p < 0.0314) showed a positive correlation with the degree of spinal cord injury and were most frequent in patients with thoracic myelomeningocele. CONCLUSION The analysis of EEG might facilitate evaluation and prognosis of epileptic seizures in children with myelomeningocele and internal hydrocephalus.