A patient describes twitching of the right hand that spreads to the arm. What is the most likely seizure diagnosis?

The scenario describes twitching of the right hand that spreads to the arm, indicating a focal onset of seizure activity. Simple partial seizures, previously known as simple focal seizures, are characterized by the motor symptoms that occur in a localized area of the body without loss of consciousness. In this case, the twitching begins in the hand and can spread, which is consistent with the nature of a simple partial seizure.

Patients experiencing simple partial seizures may have motor, sensory, or autonomic symptoms and typically remain fully aware during the event. This distinguishing feature verifies that the correct diagnosis in this instance would be a simple partial seizure as it directly aligns with the focal onset pattern observed in the patient’s description.

Absence seizures primarily present as brief lapses in awareness and do not involve the muscular twitching described. Complex partial seizures involve a loss of consciousness or altered awareness often paired with complex behaviors. Myoclonic seizures are characterized by sudden, brief muscle jerks that do not typically spread from one part of the body to another in the manner described in this case.