The significance of early post‐traumatic epilepsy

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Abstract
The incidence of epilepsy occurring within one month of injury has been studied in 382 servicemen who sustained head injuries during or immediately after the Korean campaign. Early epilepsy followed in 9.6% of those with missile wounds and in 9.9% of those with nonmissile wounds. In the missile group, the incidence of early seizures was unrelated to penetration of the brain, although it was correlated with the mortality, the duration of post-traumatic amnesia, the occurrence of intracranial hematoma, and the presence of a hemiparesis or aphasia immediately after the injury. In the nonmissile group, early seizures were correlated with the incidence of intracranial hematoma and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Patients who had early seizures were more likely to develop later epilepsy, but this was not apparent in those having seizures within twenty-four hours of injury. The type of seizure was of no value in forecasting the appearance of later epilepsy. The findings are reviewed in the light of previous reports. The etiology and clinical significance of early seizures are discussed.

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