Acute Symptomatic Epileptic Seizures

Abstract

Short DescriptionAcute symptomatic seizures (ASS) are defined by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) as “seizures that occur at the time of a systemic insult or in close temporal association with a documented brain insult” (Commission on Classification and Terminology of the International League Against Epilepsy 1989). Close temporal association is often defined as within 1 week of the insult, although this definition does not have a biological basis. An alternative could be to include all seizures occurring until the point of clinical stabilization. ASS are also referred to as provoked seizures, occasional seizures, reactive seizures, or situation-related seizures.ASS differ from epilepsy in two important aspects: they have a clearly identifiable, proximate cause and they do not have a tendency to recur, unless the underlying condition recurs. Thus, management and prognosis differ significantly from epilepsy. Although the definition does not strictly incl ...