[Evaluation of the effectiveness of the ketogenic diet with medium-chain triglycerides, in the treatment of refractory epilepsy in children. Apropos of a series of cases].

Nine patients with refractory epilepsy were treated with a ketogenic diet. All of them had daily seizures with variable length. These patients, aged between 16 months and 13 years old, showed the following epileptic syndromes: Lennox-Gastaut syndrome's (5 cases); epilepsy with myoclonic absences (1 case); "intermediary petit mal" (1 case); benign atypical partial epilepsy in infancy (1 case), and epilepsy with myoclonic-astatic seizures. For a total of 8 patients (88%) we observed a positive response to both the control of seizures and psychic abilities. In five of these cases (55%) the seizure were controlled totally and was possible to reduce the co-adjuvant drugs. In the other 3 patients (33%) the improvement was just partial. Only for one patient the treatment was interrupted due to secondary effects. The results point out the importance of a right diagnostic, an early treatment with ketogenic diet and familiar training in the improvement of the patients. Finally, we also want to remark that a close relationship with a dietetic and nutritional service is essential in order to get an effective and successful diet.