International Surgery Journal | August 2020 | Vol 7 | Issue 8 Page 2485
International Surgery Journal
Ahmadabadi F et al. Int Surg J. 2020 Aug;7(8):2485-2489
http://www.ijsurgery.com
pISSN 2349-3305 | eISSN 2349-2902
Original Research Article
Frequency, causes, and findings of brain CT scans of neonatal seizure at
Ardabil City Hospital, Ardabil, Iran
Farzad Ahmadabadi
1,2
, Mehrdad Mirzarahimi
1,2
*, Adel Ahadi
1,2
, Zahra Alizadeh
2
INTRODUCTION
Neonatal seizures are the primary and most important
signs of neural function disorders that often lead to
serious neural complications. However, these disorders
are predictable and manageable with suitable diagnostic
and therapeutic methods. If left untreated, neonatal
seizures can cause irreversible damage to the neural
system and put neonates at risk of death. Furthermore,
those that survive would be at risk of epilepsy, and
neurological and developmental disorders.
1
Seizures are
categorized as attack disorders meaning that it leads to
sudden and reversible changes in the mental status and
somatosensory performance of the individual. They have
a repetitive nature and last from several seconds to
several minutes, end quickly and return to the natural
status gradually. Seizures that originate from a
cerebrovascular region are called localized and those
originating simultaneously from both lobes are called
generalized seizures. Seizures can be categorized
generalized categories including absence, tonic, clonic,
petit-mal, myoclonic, atonic, and focal or partial
seizures.
2
Neonatal seizures are clinically referred to the abnormal
and repetitive changes that occur in the brain function in
ABSTRACT
Background: Neonatal seizures are the primary and most important signs of neurologic function disorders that often
lead to serious complications. However, this disorder is predictable and manageable with suitable diagnostic and
therapeutic methods. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency, causes, and findings of brain CT scans of
neonatal seizure.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study has been done on 70 neonates with seizures who hospitalized in
Ardabil city hospital during 2016-2017. CT scans were done for all patients. Necessary information for each patient
was recorded in a checklist including demographic data, history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and maternal
endocrine disorders, and history of resuscitation and clinical data including type of seizure and its duration, Cause of
seizure and CT scan findings (cerebral hemorrhage, local ischemic lesions, hypoxemic-ischemic encephalopathy, and
anatomical cerebral malformations).
Results: The mean age of neonates was 12.41±9.33 days. Of them, 61.4% were boys, 3.24% LBW and 40% were
preterm at birth time. Of all neonates, 21.4% had history of seizure in their relative degree family members. Fever
was the most common symptom accompanying seizures (40%). The most common form was tonic seizure (n=30,
42.9%) and its duration time was 4.99 minute. A total of 41.4% of neonates (29 cases) had abnormal CT scan reports.
Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (47%) was the most common findings in the CT scans of neonates with seizures.
Conclusions: Results showed that, a considerable number of neonates had abnormal CT findings and the most
common abnormal form was hypoxemic-ischemic encephalopathy.
Keywords: CT scan, Generalized seizure, Neonates, Seizure
1
Department of Pediatrics,
2
School of Medicine, Ardabil University of Medical Science, Ardabil, Iran
Received: 18 May 2020
Accepted: 04 July 2020
*Correspondence:
Dr. Mehrdad Mirzarahimi,
E-mail: m.mirzarahimi@arums.ac.ir
Copyright: © the author(s), publisher and licensee Medip Academy. This is an open-access article distributed under
the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18203/2349-2902.isj20203227