Rasmussen's encephalitis: an update

With the present review we aim to summarise current diagnostic criteria and treatment options of Rasmussen’s encephalitis, a chronic inflammatory disease which affects mainly children, but also young adults, and is charac terised by unilateral hemispheric progressive atrophy, consecutive neuro logical deficits and severe focal epilepsy. Pharmacoresistance against anti epileptic drugs is noted early in the course of the disease. Current approaches of immunomodulatory and surgical techniques are discussed. Up to now only surgery is able to provide complete seizure control, but it is usually offered to patients with established neurological deficits, such as hemipare sis. The choice of therapy needs to be reviewed for each patient and also conjointly with the treating physician, neurologist or neuropaediatrician, in order to provide an individually tailored therapy.