Case Report

Hot Water Epilepsy: A Report of Two Cases

  • Emine Yılmaz
  • Ayça Özkul
  • Ersin Deneri
  • Ali Akyol

Received Date: 22.02.2010 Accepted Date: 18.04.2010 Meandros Med Dent J 2012;13(1):35-38

Hot water epilepsy is a rare reflex epilepsy which is characterized by complex partial seizures during a hot bath. It has a good prognosis and generally seen in male children, however it can be also seen in adults. Although the exact mechanism is still unknown, repeated hot water stimuli were shown to have a kindling phenomen effect. Our aim is to outline the clinical features of two patients with hot water epilepsy, seen at our clinic. Two male patients 23 and 35 years old, had complex partial seizures during bathing since their childhood. Neurological examinations, psychomotor development and cranial magnetic resonance images were found to be normal. In EEG examinations epileptic activity originated from temporal regions were observed in both patients. Our patients were under control with lamotrigine (300 mg/day; 200 mg/day) medication. In this report, we aimed to present this rare and commonly misdiagnosed reflex epilepsy.

Keywords: Reflex epilepsy, hot water epilepsy, complex partial seizure