Search

Epilepsy surgery in low-grade epilepsy-associated neuroepithelial tumors (LEAT) is usually evaluated in drug-resistant cases, often meaning a time delay from diagnosis to surgery. To identify factors predicting good postoperative seizure control and neuropsychological outcome, the cohort of LEAT patients treated with resective epilepsy surgery at the Epilepsy Center Frankfurt Rhine-Main, Germany between 2015 and 2020 was analyzed. Thirty-five patients (19 males (54.3%) and 16 females, aged 4 to 40 years (M = 18.1), mean follow-up 33 months) were included. Following surgery, 77.1% of patients remained seizure-free (Engel IA/ILAE 1). Hippocampus and amygdala resection was predictive for seizure freedom in temporal lobe epilepsy. In total, 65.7% of all patients showed cognitive deficits during presurgical workup, decreasing to 51.4% after surgery, predominantly due to significantly less impaired memory functions (p = 0.011). Patients with presurgical cognitive deficits showed a tendency toward a longer duration of epilepsy (p = 0.050). Focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures (p = 0.019) and young age at onset (p = 0.018) were associated with a higher likelihood of cognitive deficits after surgery. Therefore, we advocate early epilepsy surgery without requiring proof of drug-resistance. This refers especially to lesions associated with the non-eloquent cortex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) is a common cause of early-onset intractable epilepsy, and resection is a highly sufficient treatment option. In this study, the authors aimed to provide a retrospective analysis of pre- and postoperative factors and their impact on postoperative long-term seizure outcome., Methods: The postoperative seizure outcomes of 50 patients with a mean age of 8 ± 4.49 years and histologically proven FCD type II were retrospectively analyzed. Furthermore, pre- and postoperative predictors of long-term seizure freedom were assessed. The seizure outcome was evaluated based on the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) classification., Results: Complete resection of FCD according to MRI criteria was achieved in 74% (n = 37) of patients. ILAE class 1 at the last follow-up was achieved in 76% (n = 38) of patients. A reduction of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) to monotherapy or complete withdrawal was achieved in 60% (n = 30) of patients. Twelve patients (24%) had a late seizure recurrence, 50% (n = 6) of which occurred after reduction of AEDs. A lower number of AEDs prior to surgery significantly predicted a favorable seizure outcome (p = 0.013, HR 7.63). Furthermore, younger age at the time of surgery, shorter duration of epilepsy prior to surgery, and complete resection were positive predictors for long-term seizure freedom., Conclusions: The duration of epilepsy, completeness of resection, number of AEDs prior to surgery, and younger age at the time of surgery served as predictors of postoperative long-term seizure outcome, and, as such, may improve clinical practice when selecting and counseling appropriate candidates for resective epilepsy surgery. The study results also underscored that epilepsy surgery should be considered early in the disease course of pediatric patients with FCD type II.