Localisation of war craniocerebral injury as risk factor for posttraumatic epilepsy.

AIM To evaluate localization of certain zones of craniocerebral trauma and determine their importance for genesis ofposttraumatic epilepsy. PATIENTS AND METHODS Study encompassed 50 war veterans, with craniocerebral trauma and posttraumatic epilepsy. Control group included 50 war veterans, with war craniocerebral injury who have not experienced epileptic seizures. The craniocerebral trauma zone in every patient was registered by computerized tomography (CT) of the brain at the Clinic for Radiology of the University Clinical Centre Tuzla. For statistical analysis it was used chi2 test. RESULTS Average age in examinees' group was 29.92 (+/- 8.91); while in control group was 29.98 (+/- 9.97) (p > 0.05). Both, injury at several lobes and post-traumatic epilepsy were registered in 22 (44%) patients as well as in 8 (16%) patients in control group, which represents extra statistical significance (p < 0.05). Frontal lobe trauma in examinees' group had 7 (14%) patients and 15 (30%) patients in control group (p > 0.05). Temporal lobe trauma in examinees group had equal number of patients 6 in each (12%); parietal lobe injury was found in 14 (28%) patients with epilepsy and 11 (22%) patients without posttraumatic epilepsy (p > 0.05). Occipital lobe injury had one patient with posttraumatic epilepsy (2%) and 10 (20%) veterans in control group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Trauma of several brain lobes at the same time increases the possibility of posttraumatic epilepsy. Trauma of certain brain lobes is not significant risk factor for posttraumatic epilepsy, but trauma of occipital lobe is significantly more represented in group of patients without posttraumatic epilepsy.