Double pathology in Rasmussen's encephalitis: Etiologic considerations

In a 7-year-old girl with epilepsia partialis continua (EPC) involving the left face, arm, and leg for 1 year, serial neuroimaging studies showed progressive, brain atrophy. Because medical treatment was ineffective, she underwent a large fronto-temporal surgical resection. Neuropathological examination showed loss of lamination and dysplastic neurons, gliosis, microglial nodules, and perivascular cuffing. Such ''double pathology'' (dysgenesia and a chronic inflammatory process) may have implications for the pathophysiology of Rasmussen's syndrome.