Perioral myoclonia with absences: A case report

Abstract

Perioral myoclonus with absences is a syndrome of idiopathic generalized epilepsy with onset in childhood or adolescence characterized by frequent typical absences with variable severity of impairment of consciousness and ictal localized rhythmic myoclonus of the perioral facial muscles (lip myoclonus) or occasionally of the masticatory muscles (jaw myoclonus). Because of predominant motor features of absences, it is usually misdiagnosed as complex partial seizures and given drugs for partial seizures which can precipitate absence status epilepticus. We present the clinical and electroencephalogram data of a patient with perioral myoclonia with absences who had absence status epilepticus. Relevant literature is also briefly reviewed.

Keywords

Absence seizure - perioral myoclonia - absence status epilepticus