1.Case report : Calvarial tuberculosis.
Efraim Pacana Culminas ; Lucy Kathrina Banta-Banzali
The Philippine Children’s Medical Center Journal 2022;18(2):114-120
Skeletal tuberculosis accounts for 1-3% of TB cases, and of these only 0.2-1.3% had calvarial involvement. 1 Calvarial TB is most likely secondary to a primary focus. Diagnosis is confirmed through findings of Mycobacterium tuberculosis via microbiological, histopathological or cytopathological methods. This case report presents
Primary Calvarial Tuberculosis in a five-year old male presenting with multiple cranial masses and initial diagnosis of Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH).
Human ; Male ; Child Preschool (a Child Between The Ages Of 2 And 5) ; Tuberculosis ; Mycobacterium Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary
2.Co-infection of Coronavirus Omicron variant and Salmonella Meningoencephalitis
Efraim Culminas ; Lucy Kathrina Banta- Banzali ; Jay Ron Padua
The Philippine Children’s Medical Center Journal 2023;19(2):88-93
It has been considered that viral infections predispose patients to bacterial
infections due to immunosuppression.3 However, it is still unclear what exact roles co-infections
play in patients with COVID-19 infection1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines co
-infection as an infection concurrent with the initial infection. This report discusses a case of
meningoencephalitis presenting with seizures. Notable in this case was the detection of
SARS-CoV-2 RNA and Salmonella in the CSF.
Coronavirus
3.Aicardi syndrome: A case report.
Camille S. Cantalejo ; Lucy Kathrina F. Banta-Banzali
The Philippine Children’s Medical Center Journal 2021;17(2):43-50
Aicardi Syndrome is an extremely rare genetic disorder characterized by infantile
seizures/spasms, agenesis of the corpus callosum, chorioretinal lacunae, and learning disabilities.
It is likely caused by a de novo mutation in a gene in the X chromosome. However, the gene that
causes this syndrome is still not known. It is diagnosed based on clinical findings. Aicardi
syndrome may present as a clinical spectrum, from mild to severe disease. In general, the
younger the age at which epilepsy and learning disabilities are diagnosed, the more severe the
epilepsy and learning difficulties become later in life. Hence, long-term surveillance and
management are warranted. This paper presents a 6-month-old Filipino female who exhibited
the classic triad of Aicardi Syndrome: profound seizure episodes; callosal agenesis and
interhemispheric cysts; and chorioretinal lacunae. Several anti-epileptic drugs such as
Phenobarbital, Clonazepam and Topiramate were given for the seizures. Ophthalmogic
examination and retinal camera fluorescein angiogram were advised to be performed regularly as
well as consistent neurodevelopmental follow-up.
4.A case report on gelastic seizures.
Micah Joyce L. Villalobos ; Lucy Kathrina F. Banta-Banzali
The Philippine Children’s Medical Center Journal 2021;17(2):74-80
Gelastic seizure is a rare seizure type, with laughter as the main ictal manifestation. In the
presence of a hypothalamic hamartoma, laughing seizures are referred to as gelastic epilepsy
which is seen in less than 5% of epilepsies [1]. These seizures begin during infancy with a
progressive course and may present with precocious puberty and cognitive decline. In the
absence of a hypothalamic hamartoma, gelastic seizures have a later onset and are more seldom
encountered. These are seen in less than 1% of all epilepsies and occur as part of a frontal or
temporal lobe epilepsy [1]. For gelastic seizures not associated with this lesion, prognosis is good
since they are more responsive with AEDs and may be controlled by a single AED.
This is a case report of a 7-year-old male who presented with recurrent attacks of spontaneous,
mirthless, and inappropriate laughter associated with hyperkinetic movements. Workup did not
show a hypothalamic hamartoma. Interictal EEG showed bilateral frontal lobe discharges in
prolonged runs. He was given carbamazepine which provided adequate seizure control. This is
the second case reported in this institution from 1992 until present.