Vinmec successfully performed surgery on a foreign patient with epilepsy and rare cerebral vascular malformation

Hospitalized with convulsions and severe headaches, the British patient was diagnosed by doctors at Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital (HCMC) with epilepsy in the frontal lobe due to a ruptured cerebral vascular malformation, which was life-threatening.

Rare disease, according to world medical literature

Epilepsy has greatly affected the daily life and work of GE (55 years old, British nationality). To ensure the safety of himself and those around him, he is not allowed to drive for 6 months since his last epileptic seizure.

Hospitalized in April 2024 with seizures and severe headaches, Mr. GE was monitored and treated medically by doctors at Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital for 3 months. However, during the initial period of taking the medication, the patient still had seizures, accompanied by uncontrollable behavior during seizures, sometimes wanting to jump from the building.

Not wanting to take medication for life, along with the risk of not being able to control his behavior when having an attack, after a period of consideration and arranging work, Mr. GE and his family decided to have surgery as advised by the doctor.

MSc. Dr. Truong Van Tri, Head of Neurosurgery Department, Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital, took a photo with a patient.

Through in-depth examination and based on the results of diagnostic imaging and electroencephalogram, doctors determined that the patient had epilepsy due to a ruptured cavernoma in the right forehead, causing hemorrhage.

In particular, the case is considered rare due to the presence of cerebral venous malformation, with only a few clinical cases reported in the literature. Worldwide, the rate of cavernous hemangioma associated with cerebral venous malformation accounts for approximately 0.05% of the population.

“At Vinmec, we have a video EEG room used to measure EEG over a long period of time, helping to record the times when the patient has an epileptic seizure, thereby accurately diagnosing the epileptic focus, and whether it matches the abnormal image seen on MRI or not. This will help the surgery bring the best results, controlling the epilepsy problem more effectively,” said Master Tran Thi Phuoc Yen.

Continue to work miracles with medical advancements

Microsurgery is a sophisticated surgical technique for complex structures in the body, performed under a high-magnification microscope, often applied in brain surgery.

By using microscopes and specialized tools, combined with the keen eyes and skillful hands of doctors, the technique has helped "regenerate" many unfortunate lives that have suffered from serious illnesses, helping them start a new and better journey.

To help the patient completely resolve the condition, the team of doctors at Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital consulted and prescribed a craniotomy technique to remove the tumor under a microscope, helping to completely eliminate the cause of cerebral hemorrhage and epilepsy. This procedure not only requires high technique but also requires meticulous attention to detail, because any mistake can cause serious complications.

According to MSc. Truong Van Tri, Head of Neurosurgery Department, Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital, cavernous hemangioma is a type of brain vascular malformation, where there are small cavities filled with blood.

In this patient, the cavernous hemangioma was located next to a venous abnormality, and surgical removal of the cavernous hemangioma required skill to avoid damaging this vein. If the vein were damaged, the patient could have suffered cerebral edema and fallen into a coma,”

After surgery and inpatient treatment, since being discharged from the hospital in July, the patient's health has been completely stable, recovering well and no longer having seizures.

Currently, the patient continues to take anti-epileptic drugs and will be re-examined and have an EEG measurement at 6 months after surgery to decide whether to reduce the dose of the drug. If after 1 year there are no seizures, the patient can stop using anti-epileptic drugs.

Signs that may be confused with some psychological disorders

Frontal lobe epilepsy occurs when there is abnormal electrical activity in the part of the brain located at the front, near the forehead. The frontal lobe is the largest of the four parts of the brain, responsible for behavior, personality, cognition (including thinking, learning, and memory), movement, and speech.

Dr. Tran Hoang Ngoc Anh, Professional Director, Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital, said that frontal lobe epilepsy can occur while sleeping or awake, but considering the cases we have received, epileptic seizures often occur more at night, lasting about 30 to 40 seconds.

According to medical experts, the symptoms of frontal lobe epilepsy are very diverse, the most common being convulsions with the manifestation of one arm extending while the other is bent, there may be repetitive movements such as rocking, cycling...

Some people will scream or laugh, which can be mistaken for symptoms of a mental disorder. Frontal lobe seizures are especially dangerous when the patient shows signs of uncontrollable behavior.

Therefore, when suspecting that a patient may have frontal lobe epilepsy, relatives are advised to take the patient to a medical facility. Here, doctors will assess symptoms, medical history and order an electroencephalogram and brain MRI to determine, diagnose and choose the most appropriate treatment method.

In the world medical literature, there is very little information about surgical treatment of epilepsy in patients with cavernous hemangioma associated with cerebral venous malformation. Therefore, there is not much medical evidence to prove the effectiveness of a specific, systematic surgical strategy and treatment regimen, which requires flexibility in diagnosis, surgery, and post-operative treatment that is personalized for each patient.

The successful case once again demonstrated the superior capacity of Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital in handling neurological cases with complex anatomical abnormalities.

In particular, Vinmec has continued to affirm its ability to treat neurological diseases in general and epilepsy in particular, lighting up hope for people with long-term epilepsy to have the opportunity to be completely cured of the disease, returning to life with its inherent full rhythm of life.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/vinmec-phau-thuat-thanh-cong-cho-benh-nhan-nuoc-ngoai-mac-chung-dong-kinh-di-dang-mach-nao-hiem-gap-d225844.html