Epilepsy surgery outcome in coexisting symptomatic refractory focal epilepsy and benign focal epilepsy of childhood

Epilepsy syndromes in cerebral palsy: varied, evolving and mostly self-limited

Seizures occur in approximately one-third of children with cerebral palsy. This study aimed to determine epilepsy syndromes in children with seizures and cerebral palsy due to vascular injury, anticipating that this would inform treatment and prognosis. We studied a population-based cohort of children with cerebral palsy due to prenatal or perinatal vascular injuries, born 1999-2006. Each child's MRI was reviewed to characterize patterns of grey and white matter injury. Children with syndromic or likely genetic causes of cerebral palsy were excluded, given their inherent association with epilepsy and our aim to study a homogeneous cohort of classical cerebral palsy. Chart review, parent interview and EEGs were used to determine epilepsy syndromes and seizure outcomes. Of 256 children, 93 (36%) had one or more febrile or afebrile seizures beyond the neonatal period and 87 (34%) had epilepsy. Children with seizures were more likely to have had neonatal seizures, have spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and function within Gross Motor Function Classification System level IV or V. Fifty-six (60%) children with seizures had electroclinical features of a self-limited focal epilepsy of childhood; we diagnosed these children with a self-limited focal epilepsy-variant given the current International League Against Epilepsy classification precludes a diagnosis of self-limited focal epilepsy in children with a brain lesion. Other epilepsy syndromes were focal epilepsy-not otherwise specified in 28, infantile spasms syndrome in 11, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in three, genetic generalized epilepsies in two and febrile seizures in nine. No epilepsy syndrome could be assigned in seven children with no EEG. Twenty-one changed syndrome classification during childhood. Self-limited focal epilepsy-variant usually manifested with a mix of autonomic and brachio-facial motor features, and occipital and/or centro-temporal spikes on EEG. Of those with self-limited focal epilepsy-variant, 42/56 (75%) had not had a seizure for >2 years. Favourable seizure outcomes were also seen in some children with infantile spasms syndrome and focal epilepsy-not otherwise specified. Of the 93 children with seizures, at last follow-up (mean age 15 years), 61/91 (67%) had not had a seizure in >2 years. Children with cerebral palsy and seizures can be assigned specific epilepsy syndrome diagnoses typically reserved for normally developing children, those syndromes commonly being age-dependent and self-limited. Compared to typically developing children with epilepsy, self-limited focal epilepsy-variant occurs much more commonly in children with cerebral palsy and epilepsy. These findings have important implications for treatment and prognosis of epilepsy in cerebral palsy, and research into pathogenesis of self-limited focal epilepsy.

Successful surgery in lesional epilepsy secondary to posterior quandrant ulegyria coexisting with benign childhood focal epilepsy: A case report

The present study reports, for the first time, a rare case of benign childhood focal epilepsy(BCFE) coexisting with lesional epilepsy secondary to parietooccipital ulegyria. The patient underwent right parietooccipital lobe disconnection plus tailored resection of temporooccipitoparietal junction cortex under electrocorticography (ECoG) monitoring. Post-operatively, there was no impairment of neurological function and the patient only experiences a few breakthrough benign partial seizures during sleep.

Clinical effects of surgical and Gamma Knife treatments on hippocampal sclerosis-induced intractable epilepsy of children below age 10 years

OBJECTIVE

To discuss the treatment effects and costs of surgery and Gamma Knife on hippocampal sclerosis (HS)-induced intractable epilepsy of children below age 10 years.

METHODS

The children below age 10 years who suffered from HS-induced intractable epilepsy from June 2010 to June 2012 were subjected to surgical and Gamma Knife treatments respectively according to their preference.

RESULTS

The short-term curative rates of the surgical group and the Gamma Knife group were 93.51% and 54.87%, respectively. The average expenses of the two groups were 10,000 CNY (Chinese Yuan) and 22,000 CNY, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The two groups were treated safely and effectively, but the surgical treatment led to better results at a reduced cost.

Surgical treatment of status epilepticus: a palliative approach

Although status epilepticus (SE) does not resemble a domain for neurosurgical indications in single occasions, a microneurosurgical procedure in patients with catastrophic epilepsy and status epilepticus should be considered as an ultimate ratio-choice in these patients. From a personal series of >600 epilepsy surgery procedures in a period from August 1, 1993 until March 13, 2013, 22 patients were identified with catastrophic epilepsy and all of them with at least one episode of status epilepticus. Five of the patients had surgery under ongoing status epilepticus. Twelve patients became seizure-free, two patients had >90% seizure reduction, seven patients >50% seizure reduction, and one patient was unchanged. No surgery-related complications in terms of permanent morbidity were ascertained in the presented series. In the subgroup of the five patients operated in the acute phase of SE one patient became seizure-free (Engel class. I), one showed Engel class II, two Engel class III, and one Engel class IV with no worthwhile improvement. Patients with catastrophic epilepsy including status epilepticus can benefit from resective epilepsy surgery, even with incomplete resection of the epileptogenic lesion.

Towards early diagnosis and treatment to save children from catastrophic epilepsy -- focus on epilepsy surgery

OBJECTIVE

To analyze and to discuss whether by paying attention to the many recent advancements in the field of pediatric epilepsy surgery catastrophic childhood epilepsies caused by definitive or suspected structural lesions can be prevented more often these days in comparison to the past.

METHODS

Based on data from the literature and supplemented by the authors own experience, risks for children suffering from structural focal epilepsies that the epilepsy becomes catastrophic and ways how such evolutions can possibly be prevented are discussed for the different lesion-types separately - in the order of their frequency as they are seen at pediatric epilepsy surgery centers. Special emphasis is put on data regarding attempts to prevent permanent severe mental retardations.

RESULTS

There are common factors predisposing to catastrophic courses in all structural focal epilepsies, such as early onset and a longer duration of epilepsy (with respect to cognitive outcome not with respect to seizure outcome), but there are also differences. Moreover the better perspectives now in comparison to the past for children with conditions like MRI-negative focal epilepsies, subtle focal cortical dysplasias, epilepsies post hypoxic-ischemic events, tuberous sclerosis etc. are not well recognized yet. While there is agreement that "early" (and successful) surgery is essential in many instances to prevent permanent mental retardations there is insufficient data regarding the issue that "early surgery "might not be early enough under certain circumstances and there is also only little data regarding variables which would allow to keep calm when a child is presenting with early onset difficult to control seizures. One of the biggest changes seen over the last decade is the fact that children with very severe epilepsies, who have unilateral lesions, but "generalized" seizures and/or "generalized" EEGs, are not excluded anymore from considerations for epilepsy surgery. Even children with bilateral lesions can be surgical candidates.

CONCLUSION

The gradually widening spectrum of indications for epilepsy surgery in children is resulting in an increasing number of preventions of catastrophic epilepsies. Insufficient data regarding timing of surgery in order to prevent permanent mental retardations are calling for prospective multi-center studies.

Cognitive and surgical outcome in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy associated with hippocampal sclerosis plus neurocysticercosis: a cohort study

Background

Where neurocysticercosis (NCC) is endemic, chronic calcified neurocysticercosis (cNCC) can be observed in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy associated with hippocampal sclerosis (MTLE-HS). Considering that both disorders cause recurrent seizures or cognitive impairment, we evaluated if temporal lobectomy is cognitively safe and effective for seizure control in MTLE-HS plus cNCC.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study of neuropsychological profile and surgical outcome of 324 MTLE-HS patients submitted to temporal lobectomy, comparing the results according to the presence or absence of cNCC.

Findings

cNCC occurred in 126 (38.9%) of our MTLE-HS patients, a frequency higher than expected, more frequently in women than in men (O.R. = 1.66; 95% C.I. = 1.05–2.61; p = 0.03). Left-side (but not right side) surgery caused impairment in selected neuropsychological tests, but this impairment was not accentuated by the presence of cNCC. Ninety-four (74.6%) patients with MTLE-HS plus cNCC and 153 patients (77.3%) with MTLE-HS alone were Engel class I after surgery (O.R. = 1.16; 95% C.I. = 0.69–1.95; p = 0.58). However, the chances of Engel class IA were significantly lower in MTLE-HS plus cNCC than in patients with MTLE-HS alone (31.7% versus 48.5%; O.R. = 2.02; 95% C.I. = 1.27–3.23; p = 0.003). Patients with MTLE-HS plus cNCC showed higher rates of Engel class ID (15.1% versus 6.6%; O.R. = 2.50; 95% C.I. = 1.20–5.32; p = 0.012).

Interpretation

cNCC can be highly prevalent among MTLE-HS patients living in areas where neurocysticercosis is endemic, suggesting a cause-effect relationship between the two diseases. cNCC does not add further risk for cognitive decline after surgery in MTLE-HS patients. The rates of Engel class I outcome were very similar for the two groups; however, MTLE-HS plus cNCC patients achieved Engel IA status less frequently, and Engel ID status more frequently. Temporal lobectomy can be safely performed in most patients with MTLE-HS plus cNCC without affecting cognitive outcome. Long-term surgical seizure control in MTLE-HS plus cNCC is still satisfactory, as long as selected patients remain under medication.